Zimbabwe Population Clock
Zimbabwe has an estimated population of about 17.0 million, which makes it the 73rd most populous of the 115 countries tracked here.
Its population is growing steadily, at 1.88% a year.
The capital is Harare.
The counter below is a live estimate interpolated from the World Bank's latest annual figures — not a real-time measurement. It links to its source, base year and method via the ⓘ next to it.
Statistics
Population trend
Population 2016–2025 (World Bank)
How Zimbabwe's population is changing
Zimbabwe records about 1,387 births and 348 deaths a day. That is a natural increase of roughly 1,039 people per day, or about 379,495 a year before migration is counted.
Net migration runs at about 54,555 over the reported period, with more people leaving than arriving. That is equivalent to about 14% of its natural change.
If the current rate held indefinitely, Zimbabwe would take roughly 37 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.
Over the 9 years from 2016 to 2025, the population rose from 14.6 million to 17.0 million — a gain of 2.35 million, or 16.1%.
Where people live in Zimbabwe
With about 42 people per square kilometre, Zimbabwe is sparsely populated, well below the world average of 62. That ranks 87th of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are Mozambique and Belarus.
Zimbabwe covers about 386,850 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 17.0 million into that density figure.
About 40.5% of people live in urban areas, making Zimbabwe split between town and countryside, below the world average of 57.8%. That works out to roughly 6.86 million town and city dwellers and 10.1 million living rurally.
Age, fertility and life expectancy in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has a very young population: about 40.3% are under 15 and 3.6% are 65 or older. Children outnumber over-65s by roughly 11.3 to one.
The total fertility rate is about 3.67 births per woman, above the ~2.1 replacement level, which is what sustains growth from births alone. The world figure is about 2.19.
Life expectancy at birth is about 63.1 years, roughly 10.4 years below the global average of 73.5.
Zimbabwe at a glance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17.0 million | 2025 |
| World rank by population | #73 | 2025 |
| Annual growth rate | 1.88% | 2025 |
| Population density | 42 /km² | 2023 |
| Land area | 386,850 km² | 2023 |
| Urban population | 40.5% | 2025 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 63.1 years | 2024 |
| Fertility rate | 3.67 births per woman | 2024 |
| Population under 15 | 40.3% | 2025 |
| Population 65 and over | 3.6% | 2025 |
| Net migration | -54,555 | 2025 |
| Births per day | 1,387 | 2025 |
| Deaths per day | 348 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
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Where do these Zimbabwe figures come from?
Current local time in Zimbabwe
Methodology & sources
Data: World Bank (CC BY 4.0), base year 2025. The live counter animates the latest annual growth rate per second; it is an estimate, not a real-time measurement. No figures are invented — every number traces back to the World Bank indicators listed above.
Source: World Bank