At a glance
Twelve headline indicators, latest available year.
What changed in Zimbabwe
Statistically notable movements in the latest data.
- Record high2023MajorMedian age reached a record high of 17.8 years in 2023 (series since 1950).
- Sharp rise2025MajorGDP per capita rose 21.0 % to US$ 3,021 in 2025 (largest rise since 2021).
Countries similar to Zimbabwe
Nearest peers by standardised distance on the selected dimension.
Country DNA
Percentile rank among all countries on nine dimensions. Descriptive, not a score.
2025
Key facts
Computed from the data — no model-generated numbers.
Life expectancy gained 17.0 years since 2000, from 46.0 years to 63.1 years in 2024.
With a median age of 17.8 years, Zimbabwe ranks 197th of 216 countries worldwide (2023).
Unemployment of 9.3 % in 2025 is above the Sub-Saharan Africa median of 5.1 %.
Life expectancy of 63.1 years ranks 32nd of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa (2024).
40.5 % of the population lived in urban areas in 2025, compared with 32.4 % in 2000.
GDP per capita rose from US$ 563 in 2000 to US$ 3,021 in 2025 (+436.8 % in current US dollars).
Trade is worth 41.5 % of GDP (2024), below the world median of 80.2 %.
Zimbabwe's population grew 42.5 % between 2000 and 2025, from 11.9M people to 17.0M people.
CO₂ emissions of 0.82 t per person are 0.27× the world median of 3.10 t (2024).
41.6 % of people used the internet in 2024, up from 6.4 % in 2010.
Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe ranks 17th of 47 for GDP per capita (PPP) (intl $ 6,470, 2025).
GDP grew 2.5 % a year on average over 2014–2025.
The fertility rate fell from 4.01 births/woman in 2000 to 3.67 births/woman in 2024.
Renewables' share of electricity generation fell from 67.9 % in 2010 to 57.1 % in 2024 (−10.8 points).
Borders: Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia
Languages: Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Timeline
Records, reversals and turning points across the whole history.
- 2025
- Sharp dropGross debt / GDP fell 26.6 points to 43.8 % in 2025.
- Sharp dropExchange rate fell 99.2 % to 26.596 LCU/US$ in 2025.
- Sharp dropInflation, GDP deflator fell 1,014.4 points to 83.1 % in 2025.
- Sharp riseWomen in parliament rose 2.0 points to 30.1 % in 2025.
- Record highGDP set a new high of US$ 51.2B in 2025, the first since 2017.
- ReversalFiscal balance turned positive in 2025 (0.1 %).
- Record highGov. revenue set a new high of 15.5 % in 2025, the first since 2011.
- 2024
- Sharp dropTertiary enrolment fell 3.3 points to 7.7 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropWomen in parliament fell 2.6 points to 28.1 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropLending interest rate fell 101.4 points to 68.9 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseSolar electricity generation rose 33.3 % to 0.04 TWh in 2024.
- Sharp riseInflation, GDP deflator rose 329.0 points to 1,097.5 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropMilitary expenditure (current US$) fell 88.7 % to US$ 98.4M in 2024.
- Sharp riseFiscal balance rose 8.7 points to -0.8 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropRemittances fell 0.7 points to 8.5 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropOres and metals exports (% of merchandise exports) fell 9.1 points to 33.8 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseNet migration rose 36,852 people to -60,528 people in 2024.
- Record highWorking age (15–64) set a new high of 55.5 % in 2024, the first since 2002.
- Record highChildren out of school, primary set a new high of 332,314 children in 2024, the first since 2015.
- Record highCoal production set a new high of 43 TWh in 2024, the first since 2014.
- Record lowAdolescent fertility rate fell to a new low of 95.5 per 1,000 in 2024, the first since 1995.
- Record lowAge dependency ratio fell to a new low of 80.1 % in 2024, the first since 2002.
- 2023
- Sharp riseParticipation rose 2.6 points to 67.8 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseEmployment to population ratio (ages 15+) rose 2.8 points to 61.4 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseServices share rose 20.9 points to 49.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseAccess to electricity (% of population) rose 11.9 points to 62.0 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseRemittances rose 1.6 points to 9.2 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseTerrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) rose 1.1 points to 28.3 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropIndustry share fell 13.2 points to 33.3 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseLabour force participation rate, female (ages 15+) rose 2.4 points to 62.2 % in 2023.
Explore Zimbabwe by topic
19 topics · 256 indicators with data.
- Economy23 with data · 27 indicators
- Government & public finance13 with data · 18 indicators
- Population & demographics23 with data · 23 indicators
- Employment & wages12 with data · 19 indicators
- Income & inequality8 with data · 10 indicators
- Housing0 with data · 12 indicators
- Health23 with data · 23 indicators
- Education14 with data · 16 indicators
- Trade21 with data · 21 indicators
- Energy26 with data · 26 indicators
- Climate16 with data · 16 indicators
- Environment10 with data · 10 indicators
- Infrastructure & transportation8 with data · 10 indicators
- Digital economy & Internet6 with data · 6 indicators
- Innovation, research & technology8 with data · 9 indicators
- Agriculture & natural resources20 with data · 20 indicators
- Tourism5 with data · 5 indicators
- Security & governance7 with data · 15 indicators
- Quality of life13 with data · 14 indicators