Aid, poverty & equality · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income
Zambia: poverty, inequality and aid
Extreme poverty is 71.7% (2022), 6th of 151 in the world and 6th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty, $4.20/day is 81.4% (2022), 8th of 151 in the world and 8th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty, $8.30/day is 94.0% (2022), 9th of 151 in the world and 9th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Extreme poverty
ZambiaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Poverty, $4.20/day
ZambiaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
14 indicators
Aid, poverty & equality: Zambia in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme povertyExtreme poverty, $3.00 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 71.7%2022 | 6/151 | 6/44 | 68.0%2002 | 71.4% | 71.7%2022 | +0.3 ppsince 2010 | 45.0% | 12.4% | 10.1% | |
| Poverty, $4.20/dayPoverty at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 81.4%2022 | 8/151 | 8/44 | 81.9%2002 | 81.4% | 81.4%2022 | ±0.0 ppsince 2010 | 63.2% | 26.9% | 18.2% | |
| Poverty, $8.30/dayPoverty at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 94.0%2022 | 9/151 | 9/44 | 95.7%2002 | 93.5% | 94.0%2022 | +0.5 ppsince 2010 | 88.6% | 76.8% | 46.2% | |
| National poverty ratePoverty at national poverty lines, % of population | 60.0%2022 | 6/145 | 5/45 | · | 57.0% | 60.0%2022 | +3.0 ppsince 2010 | — | — | — | |
| Gini indexGini index of income inequality | 51.52022 | 6/151 | 5/44 | 42.12002 | 52.0 | 51.52022 | −1.0%since 2010 | — | — | — | |
| Top 10% income shareIncome share held by the richest 10% | 39.1%2022 | 10/151 | 8/44 | 33.7%2002 | 41.0% | 39.1%2022 | −1.9 ppsince 2010 | — | — | — | |
| Bottom 20% income shareIncome share held by the poorest 20% | 3.9%2022 | 143/151 | 39/44 | 6.1%2002 | 4.1% | 3.9%2022 | −0.2 ppsince 2010 | — | — | — | |
| UndernourishmentPrevalence of undernourishment, % of population | 41.0%2024 | 4/167 | 3/44 | 50.3%2001 | 43.8% | 33.9% | +3.7 ppsince 2014 | 22.3% | 12.1% | 8.1% | |
| Food insecurityModerate or severe food insecurity, % of population | 45.8%2024 | 38/155 | 30/38 | · | · | 51.8% | — | — | 41.8% | 28.0% | |
| Account ownershipAccount ownership (bank or mobile money), % of adults | 72.7%2024 | 73/145 | 8/36 | · | 21.4%2011 | 48.5%2021 | +37.1 ppsince 2014 | 55.1% | 70.4% | 78.7% | |
| Women in parliamentSeats held by women in national parliament, % | 15.0%2025 | 148/190 | 34/46 | 10.1% | 14.0% | 16.8% | +2.3 ppsince 2015 | 27.0% | 23.6% | 27.2% | |
| Net ODA receivedNet official development assistance received, US$ | $1.4bn2023 | 30/145 | 16/48 | $795m | $885m | $1.0bn | +24%since 2013 | $64.8bn | $59.2bn | $259bn | |
| ODA, % of GNINet ODA received, % of GNI | 5.5%2023 | 44/139 | 22/47 | 23.1% | 4.7% | 5.9% | +1.2 ppsince 2013 | 3.1% | 0.9% | 0.2% | |
| ODA per personNet ODA received per capita, US$ | $68.62023 | 70/145 | 24/48 | $79.3 | $63.4 | $53.4 | −7.7%since 2013 | $51.5 | $20.6 | $32.2 |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Gini index−1.0%51.5 in 2022
- Top 10% income share−1.9 pp39.1% in 2022
- Account ownership+37.1 pp72.7% in 2024
- Women in parliament+2.3 pp15.0% in 2025
Worse than ten years ago
- Extreme poverty+0.3 pp71.7% in 2022
- Poverty, $8.30/day+0.5 pp94.0% in 2022
- National poverty rate+3.0 pp60.0% in 2022
- Bottom 20% income share−0.2 pp3.9% in 2022
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Zambia and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Zambia. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Zambia | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Tanzania | Angola | Mozambique | Malawi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme poverty | 71.7%2022 | 85.3%2020 | 51.3%2018 | 39.3%2018 | 81.4%2022 | 75.4%2019 |
| Poverty, $4.20/day | 81.4%2022 | 92.5%2020 | 70.0%2018 | 53.7%2018 | 89.1%2022 | 87.3%2019 |
| Poverty, $8.30/day | 94.0%2022 | 98.0%2020 | 91.5%2018 | 80.0%2018 | 96.3%2022 | 97.1%2019 |
| National poverty rate | 60.0%2022 | 56.2%2020 | 26.4%2018 | 32.3%2018 | 65.0%2022 | 47.3%2024 |
| Gini index | 51.52022 | 44.72020 | 40.52018 | 51.32018 | 49.62022 | 38.52019 |
| Top 10% income share | 39.1%2022 | 35.7%2020 | 33.1%2018 | 39.6%2018 | 40.8%2022 | 31.0%2019 |
| Bottom 20% income share | 3.9%2022 | 5.5%2020 | 6.9%2018 | 3.8%2018 | 4.7%2022 | 7.0%2019 |
| Undernourishment | 41.0%2024 | 39.5%2024 | 19.1%2024 | 17.4%2024 | 22.3%2024 | 24.5%2024 |
| Food insecurity | 45.8%2024 | 81.7%2024 | 57.0%2024 | 75.4%2024 | — | 81.6%2024 |