Zimbabwe Demographics

Population of Zimbabwe (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Population
17,273,580
see live
Yearly Change
+1.90%
Global Share
0.21%
Global Rank
74

Median Age

The median age in Zimbabwe is 18.3 years (2026).

Fertility in Zimbabwe

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
3.57
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Zimbabwe

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
63.6
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
65.9
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
61.0
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Zimbabwe


Infant Mortality
30.5
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
42.1
(per 1,000 live births)


Zimbabwe Urban Population

Currently, 41.1% of the population of Zimbabwe is urban (7,098,961 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Zimbabwe is 45 people per km² (116 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 386,847 km² (149,362 sq. miles).

Largest Cities and Urban Localities in Zimbabwe

The 30 largest of 36 cities and urban localities, ranked by population at the census of April 20, 2022 (by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency).

RankCity or Urban LocalityPopulation
1Harare1,491,754
2Bulawayo665,952
3Chitungwiza371,246
4Mutare224,804
5Epworth206,368
6Gweru159,050
7Kwekwe119,863
8Kadoma117,381
9Ruwaincl. Zimrepark94,078
10Chinhoyi90,800
11Masvingo87,950
12Norton87,039
13Marondera66,204
14Chegutu65,800
15Zvishavaneincl. Mining Area59,714
16Beitbridge58,574
17Bindura50,400
18Redcliff41,526
19Chiredzi40,100
20Hwange39,750
21Rusapeincl. Tsanzaguru37,906
22Karoi37,564
23Victoria Falls35,215
24Chipinge34,959
25Gokwe33,073
26Kariba27,450
27GwandaJawunda26,700
28Shurugwiincl. Mining Area23,304
29Mvurwi15,646
30PlumtreeMangwe Urban14,460
See all 41 cities and urban localities in Zimbabwe

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.