Largest Cities and Urban Centers by Population in Zambia

88 cities and urban centers in Zambia with 10,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of August 18, 2022 (by Central Statistical Office, Zambia).

Rank	City or Urban Center	Population
1	Lusaka	2,212,301
2	Kitwe	665,961
3	Ndola	627,503
4	Solwezi	301,370
5	Kabwe	288,598
6	Chingola	256,560
7	Luanshya	193,293
8	Chipata	188,020
9	Kasama	179,636
10	LivingstoneMaramba	178,361
11	Mansa	170,965
12	Mufulira	169,136
13	Chungaincl. Katuba, Mungule	115,539
14	Chililabombwe	113,876
15	Mongu	111,450
16	Mazabuka	104,412
17	Kafue	104,174
18	Kalulushi	104,046
19	Choma	98,974
20	Namalombweincl. Kalundu, New Farms, Kasupe	97,758
21	Nakonde	91,107
22	Kapiri Mposhi	83,211
23	Madidoincl. Kapwayambale, Ngwerere	80,782
24	Nchelenge	77,746
25	Mpika	63,740
26	Monze	60,281
27	Petauke	58,156
28	Chongwe	57,443
29	Mpulungu	55,405
30	Chilanga	54,046
31	Samfya	51,309
32	Mumbwa	49,461
33	Mkushi	45,927
34	Katete	45,402
35	Lundazi	45,149
36	Mbala	42,424
37	Chisankane	41,014
38	Chinsali	38,805
39	Kaputa	35,663
40	Chirundu	35,403
41	Chambishi	34,888
42	Kaoma	34,347
43	Isoka	31,739
44	Kawambwa	31,161
45	Kalomo	30,781
46	Mporokoso	30,381
47	Serenje	30,217
48	Sesheke	29,922
49	Kasempa	28,894
50	Manyama	28,825
51	Luwingu	28,436
52	Mapalo	26,986
53	Siavonga	26,951
54	Zambezi	26,885
55	Mufumbwe	25,667
56	Mwinilunga	25,425
57	MpongweMpelembe	25,388
58	Itezhi-Tezhi	22,449
59	Maamba	21,676
60	Lusaka WestNyemba	21,655
61	Senanga	20,878
62	Ntandabale	20,254
63	Palabana	19,769
64	Lukulu	19,344
65	ManyingaLoloma	19,317
66	Nyimba	19,252
67	Chavuma	18,902
68	Sinda	18,716
69	Kalabo	18,477
70	Kisasa	17,169
71	Nampundwe	16,396
72	Kazembe (Mwansabombwe)	16,077
73	Namwala	15,614
74	Sinazongwe	15,191
75	Chiengi (Chienge)	15,165
76	Kabompo	15,069
77	Ibenga	14,056
78	Chinkuli	14,034
79	Chilongolo	13,662
80	Chama	12,923
81	Lubwe	12,643
82	Mungwi	12,536
83	Kazungula	12,095
84	Limulunga	10,684
85	Chalimbana	10,196
86	Chilubi	9,962
87	Lubombo	9,811
88	Luangwa	9,187

Source: Central Statistical Office, Zambia (2022 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

33 urban areas in Zambia with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2026)	Yearly Change	Land Area (km²)	Density (P/km²)	World Rank	Projections (2030)	Projections (2050)
1	Lusaka	3,629,896	+3.28%	405	8,972	131	4,106,587	6,550,068
2	Kitwe	690,619	+1.72%	115	5,985	786	738,100	1,011,387
3	Ndola	544,747	+1.77%	114	4,770	1,018	583,305	743,780
4	Mansa	343,035	+2.20%	51	6,700	1,686	373,163	528,028
5	Chingola	299,984	+1.93%	64	4,658	1,948	323,147	414,190
6	Kabwe	278,354	+3.86%	76	3,663	2,105	321,296	582,180
7	Kasama	240,610	+2.92%	44	5,493	2,468	268,700	388,569
8	Livingstone	209,739	+2.75%	45	4,703	2,876	232,807	329,578
9	Chipata	201,768	+2.21%	45	4,464	2,994	219,598	289,927
10	Mufulira	177,207	+2.27%	39	4,591	3,457	193,312	249,358
11	Kapiri Mposhi	149,762	+5.32%	29	5,129	4,094	181,600	325,257
12	Chilanga	143,179	+6.51%	45	3,168	4,306	180,454	407,415
13	Choma	142,639	+2.94%	28	5,168	4,322	159,409	215,806
14	Solwezi	141,362	+2.67%	53	2,657	4,360	156,445	205,909
15	Mongu	125,804	+1.50%	34	3,744	4,924	133,349	159,121
16	Nakonde	113,507	+3.18%	18	6,377	5,505	127,947	180,623
17	Nchelenge	107,477	+3.02%	31	3,423	5,817	120,470	183,286
18	Luanshya	106,999	+6.17%	32	3,386	5,842	133,396	190,896
19	Kafue	98,178	+5.52%	26	3,776	6,372	119,839	213,729
20	Chililabombwe	97,054	+2.72%	19	5,003	6,451	107,600	152,387
21	Mpulungu	94,379	+2.33%	20	4,719	6,634	103,179	151,831
22	Mazabuka	87,138	+2.22%	17	5,126	7,229	94,867	141,314
23	Kalulushi	71,222	+2.35%	18	3,871	8,820	77,923	172,027
24	Monze	65,604	+3.22%	13	4,896	9,572	74,046	107,808
25	Mumbwa	65,291	+6.61%	16	4,030	9,617	82,558	169,924
26	Mwinilunga	64,768	+2.39%	13	4,907	9,692	70,953	102,205
27	Lundazi	64,491	+2.75%	16	3,981	9,741	71,572	101,383
28	Mkushi	64,197	+6.37%	18	3,566	9,787	80,540	154,347
29	Mbala	63,504	+2.46%	13	4,885	9,894	69,762	107,109
30	Mpika	61,739	+2.30%	13	4,749	10,168	67,429	105,383
31	Samfya	57,867	+3.30%	22	2,583	10,771	65,503	104,370
32	Chirundu	56,736	+3.48%	10	5,674	10,997	64,625	120,992
33	Katete	55,821	+1.83%	11	5,075	11,177	59,903	121,316

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Data topics

Reference

Tools

Largest Cities and Urban Centers by Population in Zambia

See also