Largest Cities and Urban Localities by Population in Zimbabwe
36 cities and urban localities in Zimbabwe with 10,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of April 20, 2022 (by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency). 6 places missing from that count keep their 2012 census figure. 5 more places have only a figure from 2002, listed below without a rank.
| Rank | City or Urban Locality | Also Known As | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harare | Salisbury | 1,491,754 |
| 2 | Bulawayo | - | 665,952 |
| 3 | Chitungwiza | - | 371,246 |
| 4 | Mutare | Umtali | 224,804 |
| 5 | Epworth | - | 206,368 |
| 6 | Gweru | Gwelo | 159,050 |
| 7 | Kwekwe | Que Que | 119,863 |
| 8 | Kadoma | Gatooma | 117,381 |
| 9 | Ruwaincl. Zimrepark | - | 94,078 |
| 10 | Chinhoyi | Sinoia | 90,800 |
| 11 | Masvingo | Fort Victoria | 87,950 |
| 12 | Norton | - | 87,039 |
| 13 | Marondera | Marandellas | 66,204 |
| 14 | Chegutu | - | 65,800 |
| 15 | Zvishavaneincl. Mining Area | - | 59,714 |
| 16 | Beitbridge | - | 58,574 |
| 17 | Bindura | - | 50,400 |
| 18 | Redcliff | - | 41,526 |
| 19 | Chiredzi | - | 40,100 |
| 20 | Hwange | Wankie | 39,750 |
| 21 | Rusapeincl. Tsanzaguru | - | 37,906 |
| 22 | Karoi | - | 37,564 |
| 23 | Victoria Falls | - | 35,215 |
| 24 | Chipinge | - | 34,959 |
| 25 | Gokwe | - | 33,073 |
| 26 | Kariba | - | 27,450 |
| 27 | GwandaJawunda | - | 26,700 |
| 28 | Shurugwiincl. Mining Area | - | 23,304 |
| 29 | Mvurwi | - | 15,646 |
| 30 | PlumtreeMangwe Urban | - | 14,460 |
| 31 | Chivhu | - | 12,958(2012 census) |
| 32 | Mutoko | - | 12,336(2012 census) |
| 33 | Mashava Mine | - | 5,859(2012 census) |
| 34 | Mhangura Mine | - | 2,930(2012 census) |
| 35 | Lupane | - | 2,211(2012 census) |
| 36 | Shamvaincl. Shamva Mine | - | 908(2012 census) |
| — | Harare Western Suburbsin: Zvimba District | - | 15,556(2002 census) |
| — | Murehwa | - | 11,750(2002 census) |
| — | Banket | - | 9,845(2002 census) |
| — | Glendale | - | 9,798(2002 census) |
| — | Mount Hampden | - | 9,245(2002 census) |
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (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.
15 urban areas in Zimbabwe 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 | Harare | 2,163,148 | +2.12% | 610 | 3,547 | 236 | 2,346,959 | 3,453,220 |
| 2 | Bulawayo | 498,093 | +1.07% | 173 | 2,876 | 1,123 | 519,381 | 692,970 |
| 3 | Ruwa | 189,712 | +2.37% | 68 | 2,806 | 3,213 | 207,663 | 309,358 |
| 4 | Mutare | 152,256 | +1.99% | 42 | 3,625 | 4,037 | 164,356 | 242,137 |
| 5 | Kwekwe | 139,757 | +2.70% | 39 | 3,621 | 4,409 | 154,823 | 239,115 |
| 6 | Masvingo | 125,522 | +2.79% | 31 | 3,998 | 4,944 | 139,533 | 214,482 |
| 7 | Chinhoyi | 99,202 | +2.06% | 24 | 4,133 | 6,307 | 107,373 | 161,796 |
| 8 | Norton | 92,167 | +2.04% | 25 | 3,687 | 6,805 | 99,685 | 155,680 |
| 9 | Marondera | 90,132 | +2.67% | 25 | 3,549 | 6,972 | 99,772 | 155,324 |
| 10 | Kadoma | 89,849 | +2.03% | 22 | 4,084 | 6,990 | 97,127 | 158,230 |
| 11 | Chegutu | 71,593 | +2.46% | 17 | 4,162 | 8,782 | 78,635 | 118,767 |
| 12 | Gweru | 69,350 | +2.95% | 25 | 2,730 | 9,045 | 77,546 | 139,858 |
| 13 | Mkoba | 57,877 | +2.27% | 14 | 4,076 | 10,770 | 63,142 | 95,875 |
| 14 | Zvishavane | 57,417 | +2.95% | 16 | 3,544 | 10,861 | 64,202 | 101,939 |
| 15 | Rusape | 53,976 | +2.54% | 13 | 4,089 | 11,540 | 59,459 | 84,909 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.