Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia
Zambia: Total population living in extreme poverty by world region was 14.44 million people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia, 1991–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia is 14.44 million people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is up 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia peaked at 14.44 million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 5.03 million people, in 1991.
That places Zambia 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.03 million people | — |
| 1993 | 5.62 million people | +11.7% |
| 1996 | 5.05 million people | -10.1% |
| 1998 | 5.37 million people | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 7.43 million people | +38.3% |
| 2004 | 7.99 million people | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 8.89 million people | +11.2% |
| 2010 | 9.97 million people | +12.2% |
| 2015 | 11.13 million people | +11.7% |
| 2022 | 14.44 million people | +29.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.26 million people | 5.03 million people | 5.62 million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 8.10 million people | 7.43 million people | 8.89 million people | 3 |
| 2010s | 10.55 million people | 9.97 million people | 11.13 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.44 million people | 14.44 million people | 14.44 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More poverty & inequality data for Zambia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.1 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,344 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -4.62 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 16.23 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 16.2% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia?
- Total population living in extreme poverty by world region in Zambia was 14.44 million people in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.44 million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest total population living in extreme poverty by world region recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.03 million people in 1991.
- How does Zambia rank for total population living in extreme poverty by world region?
- Zambia ranks 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total population living in extreme poverty by world region rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total population living in extreme poverty by world region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.