Prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia
Zambia: Prevalence of current tobacco use was 14.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia stood at 14.3%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia peaked at 19.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 106th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.8% | — |
| 2005 | 18.3% | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 15.9% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 14.9% | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 14.6% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 14.4% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 14.3% | -0.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 14.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.2%, 88% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 14.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.9%, 1.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.6% | 17.8% | 19.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 15.9% | 17.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 14.3% | 14.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 103 Bahrain 15.4% compare
- 104 Saudi Arabia 14.7% compare
- 105 Brunei Darussalam 14.5% compare
- 107 Saint Lucia 13.9% compare
- 108 Singapore 13.8% compare
- 109 Gabon 13.3% 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 prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in Zambia was 14.3% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- Zambia ranks 106th out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of the population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.