Zimbabwe — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Zimbabwe, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Zimbabwe was 1.88% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.29% in 1981. The lowest was 0.12% in 1994 (about 15.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.79% per year.
Zimbabwe ranks 54 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 25%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Zimbabwe sits below it. It peaked in 1981 and has fallen 70% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 41%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 39 of 48 economies; Comoros (1.85%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 685% in 1995. That is 17% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1981.
World ranking. Slipped: 38th of 216 in 1961 → 34th of 216 in 1970 → 7th of 216 in 1980 → 60th of 216 in 1990 → 140th of 217 in 2000 → 83rd of 217 in 2010 → 71st of 217 in 2020 → 54th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.68% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.71% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.73% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 1.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 1.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 1.41% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 1.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 1.77% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 1.61% | +0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 1.41% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 1.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 1.22% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 0.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 1.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 1.19% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 0.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 0.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 0.92% | -0.7 pp |
| 1999 | 1.62% | -0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 1.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.88% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 1.66% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 0.93% | +0.8 pp |
| 1994 | 0.12% | -1.3 pp |
| 1993 | 1.46% | -1.4 pp |
| 1992 | 2.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 2.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 2.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 3.16% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 3.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 3.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 3.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 3.56% | -0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 3.9% | -2.4 pp |
| 1981 | 6.29% | +0.5 pp |
| 1980 | 5.75% | +4.2 pp |
| 1979 | 1.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 1.45% | -1.1 pp |
| 1977 | 2.55% | -0.5 pp |
| 1976 | 3.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 3.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 3.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 3.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 3.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 3% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 3.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 3.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 3.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 3.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 3.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 3.13% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Zimbabwe’s Population growth in 1962?
3.14% (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 Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -39.7% in total — about 0.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 1.88%; 2024: 1.78%; 2023: 1.68%; 2022: 1.71%; 2021: 1.73%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population 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.