Zimbabwe — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Zimbabwe, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Zimbabwe was 8.11% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 22.57% in 1970. The lowest was -17.67% in 2008 (about -2.2× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.39% per year.
Zimbabwe ranks 11 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 5%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.61%, so Zimbabwe sits above it. It peaked in 1970 and has fallen 64% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 355%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 4 of 47 economies; Benin (8.07%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 6456% in 1996. That is 220% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1970. Doubling roughly every 178 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 32nd of 107 in 1961 → 4th of 119 in 1970 → 7th of 152 in 1980 → 33rd of 176 in 1990 → 193rd of 199 in 2000 → 2nd of 209 in 2010 → 150th of 209 in 2020 → 8th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.11% | +6.4 pp |
| 2024 | 1.68% | -3.7 pp |
| 2023 | 5.35% | -0.8 pp |
| 2022 | 6.14% | -2.3 pp |
| 2021 | 8.47% | +16.3 pp |
| 2020 | -7.82% | -1.5 pp |
| 2019 | -6.33% | -11.3 pp |
| 2018 | 5.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 4.73% | +4.0 pp |
| 2016 | 0.76% | -1.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.78% | -0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 2.38% | +0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 1.99% | -14.7 pp |
| 2012 | 16.67% | +2.5 pp |
| 2011 | 14.19% | -5.5 pp |
| 2010 | 19.68% | +6.4 pp |
| 2009 | 13.27% | +30.9 pp |
| 2008 | -17.67% | -14.0 pp |
| 2007 | -3.65% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | -3.46% | +2.2 pp |
| 2005 | -5.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | -5.81% | +11.2 pp |
| 2003 | -17% | -8.1 pp |
| 2002 | -8.89% | -10.3 pp |
| 2001 | 1.44% | +4.5 pp |
| 2000 | -3.06% | -2.2 pp |
| 1999 | -0.82% | -3.7 pp |
| 1998 | 2.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 2.68% | -7.7 pp |
| 1996 | 10.36% | +10.2 pp |
| 1995 | 0.16% | -9.1 pp |
| 1994 | 9.24% | +8.2 pp |
| 1993 | 1.05% | +10.1 pp |
| 1992 | -9.02% | -14.5 pp |
| 1991 | 5.53% | -1.5 pp |
| 1990 | 6.99% | +1.8 pp |
| 1989 | 5.2% | -2.4 pp |
| 1988 | 7.55% | +6.4 pp |
| 1987 | 1.15% | -0.9 pp |
| 1986 | 2.1% | -4.8 pp |
| 1985 | 6.94% | +8.9 pp |
| 1984 | -1.91% | -3.5 pp |
| 1983 | 1.59% | -1.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.63% | -9.9 pp |
| 1981 | 12.53% | -1.9 pp |
| 1980 | 14.42% | +11.1 pp |
| 1979 | 3.3% | +6.0 pp |
| 1978 | -2.71% | +4.2 pp |
| 1977 | -6.86% | -7.3 pp |
| 1976 | 0.46% | +2.4 pp |
| 1975 | -1.93% | -8.6 pp |
| 1974 | 6.63% | +4.0 pp |
| 1973 | 2.6% | -5.7 pp |
| 1972 | 8.33% | -0.6 pp |
| 1971 | 8.92% | -13.6 pp |
| 1970 | 22.57% | +10.1 pp |
| 1969 | 12.43% | +10.5 pp |
| 1968 | 1.97% | -6.4 pp |
| 1967 | 8.37% | +6.8 pp |
| 1966 | 1.52% | -3.4 pp |
| 1965 | 4.91% | +6.0 pp |
| 1964 | -1.11% | -7.4 pp |
| 1963 | 6.24% | +4.8 pp |
| 1962 | 1.43% | -4.9 pp |
| 1961 | 6.32% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zimbabwe’s GDP growth in 1962?
1.43% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Zimbabwe’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +28.3% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 8.11%; 2024: 1.68%; 2023: 5.35%; 2022: 6.14%; 2021: 8.47%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.