Death rate in Zambia
Zambia: Death rate was 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.21 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 6.7%
World rank
203rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.84 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
5.21 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Zambia peaked at 18.84 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Zambia 203rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.84 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 18.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1952 | 18.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 18.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1954 | 18.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1955 | 17.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 17.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1957 | 17.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1958 | 16.98 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1959 | 16.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1960 | 16.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 16.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 16.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 15.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 16.09 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 15.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1966 | 15.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 15.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 15.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 14.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 14.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 14.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 14.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 13.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 13.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 13.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 13.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 13.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 13.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 13.09 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 13.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 13.43 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 13.68 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 13.99 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 14.38 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 14.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 15.22 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 15.59 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 15.96 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 16.36 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 16.68 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 17.05 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 17.2 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 17.27 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 17.34 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 17.4 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 17.43 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 17.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 17.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 16.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 16.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 15.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 14.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2003 | 13.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 13.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 12.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 11.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 11.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 10.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 9.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 9.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 8.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 8.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 8.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 7.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 7.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 7 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 6.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 6.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 6.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 6.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 5.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -15.5% |
| 2023 | 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 80% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.94 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.69 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.76 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.36 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.16 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.43 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.83 deaths per 1,000 people | 16.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.48 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.91 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 200 Colombia 5.4 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 201 Malawi 5.36 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 202 Brunei 5.23 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 204 Malaysia 5.16 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 205 Solomon Islands 5.14 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 206 Ecuador 5.13 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Zambia?
- Death rate in Zambia was 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.84 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for death rate?
- Zambia ranks 203rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.