Aid, poverty & equality · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income
Zimbabwe: poverty, inequality and aid
Extreme poverty is 49.2% (2019), 12th of 151 in the world and 12th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty, $4.20/day is 64.6% (2019), 15th of 151 in the world and 15th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty, $8.30/day is 86.2% (2019), 26th of 151 in the world and 24th of 44 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Undernourishment
ZimbabweSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Food insecurity
ZimbabweLower-middle incomeWorld
14 indicators
Aid, poverty & equality: Zimbabwe 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 | 49.2%2019 | 12/151 | 12/44 | · | 35.7%2011 | 49.2%2019 | — | 45.0% | 12.4% | 10.1% | |
| Poverty, $4.20/dayPoverty at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 64.6%2019 | 15/151 | 15/44 | · | 53.5%2011 | 64.6%2019 | — | 63.2% | 26.9% | 18.2% | |
| Poverty, $8.30/dayPoverty at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 86.2%2019 | 26/151 | 24/44 | · | 83.2%2011 | 86.2%2019 | — | 88.6% | 76.8% | 46.2% | |
| National poverty ratePoverty at national poverty lines, % of population | 38.3%2019 | 32/145 | 27/45 | 32.2%2001 | 22.5%2011 | 38.3%2019 | +6.1 ppsince 2001 | — | — | — | |
| Gini indexGini index of income inequality | 50.32019 | 9/151 | 7/44 | · | 43.22011 | 50.32019 | — | — | — | — | |
| Top 10% income shareIncome share held by the richest 10% | 40.5%2019 | 7/151 | 6/44 | · | 33.8%2011 | 40.5%2019 | — | — | — | — | |
| Bottom 20% income shareIncome share held by the poorest 20% | 4.8%2019 | 135/151 | 35/44 | · | 5.8%2011 | 4.8%2019 | — | — | — | — | |
| UndernourishmentPrevalence of undernourishment, % of population | 18.4%2024 | 30/167 | 23/44 | 32.8%2001 | 29.2% | 28.2% | −15.1 ppsince 2014 | 22.3% | 12.1% | 8.1% | |
| Food insecurityModerate or severe food insecurity, % of population | 70.1%2024 | 15/155 | 12/38 | · | · | 73.0% | — | — | 41.8% | 28.0% | |
| Account ownershipAccount ownership (bank or mobile money), % of adults | 49.5%2024 | 113/145 | 25/36 | · | 39.7%2011 | 59.7%2021 | +17.1 ppsince 2014 | 55.1% | 70.4% | 78.7% | |
| Women in parliamentSeats held by women in national parliament, % | 30.1%2025 | 76/190 | 16/46 | 9.3% | 15.0% | 31.9% | −1.4 ppsince 2015 | 27.0% | 23.6% | 27.2% | |
| Net ODA receivedNet official development assistance received, US$ | $792m2023 | 49/145 | 25/48 | $176m | $715m | $986m | −4.4%since 2013 | $64.8bn | $59.2bn | $259bn | |
| ODA, % of GNINet ODA received, % of GNI | 2.2%2023 | 74/139 | 37/47 | 4.0% | 6.2% | 3.1% | −2.3 ppsince 2013 | 3.1% | 0.9% | 0.2% | |
| ODA per personNet ODA received per capita, US$ | $48.42023 | 87/145 | 31/48 | $14.8 | $53.5 | $63.5 | −18%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
- Undernourishment−15.1 pp18.4% in 2024
- Account ownership+17.1 pp49.5% in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
- National poverty rate+6.1 pp38.3% in 2019
- Women in parliament−1.4 pp30.1% in 2025
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Zimbabwe and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Zimbabwe. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Zimbabwe | South Africa | Mozambique | Zambia | Botswana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme poverty | 49.2%2019 | 17.4%2022 | 81.4%2022 | 71.7%2022 | 21.4%2015 |
| Poverty, $4.20/day | 64.6%2019 | 30.2%2022 | 89.1%2022 | 81.4%2022 | 35.8%2015 |
| Poverty, $8.30/day | 86.2%2019 | 59.6%2022 | 96.3%2022 | 94.0%2022 | 63.2%2015 |
| National poverty rate | 38.3%2019 | 37.9%2022 | 65.0%2022 | 60.0%2022 | 16.1%2015 |
| Gini index | 50.32019 | 54.12022 | 49.62022 | 51.52022 | 54.92015 |
| Top 10% income share | 40.5%2019 | 42.1%2022 | 40.8%2022 | 39.1%2022 | 42.9%2015 |
| Bottom 20% income share | 4.8%2019 | 3.7%2022 | 4.7%2022 | 3.9%2022 | 3.7%2015 |
| Undernourishment | 18.4%2024 | 11.2%2024 | 22.3%2024 | 41.0%2024 | 18.2%2024 |
| Food insecurity | 70.1%2024 | 20.9%2024 | — | 45.8%2024 | 52.0%2024 |