Share of the population using the Internet in Zambia
Zambia: Share of the population using the Internet was 17.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Zambia is 17.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 163.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Zambia peaked at 17.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Zambia 199th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | +29.5% |
| 1996 | 0.0% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 0.0% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +223.7% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +386.8% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +30.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +22.0% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | +104.9% |
| 2003 | 1.0% | +105.2% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +12.2% |
| 2005 | 1.3% | +18.2% |
| 2006 | 1.6% | +23.1% |
| 2007 | 1.9% | +18.7% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | +15.8% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +20.0% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | +16.7% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +17.1% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | +17.1% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | +35.4% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | +35.4% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +17.0% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | +18.4% |
| 2018 | 14.3% | +17.2% |
| 2019 | 14.5% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 14.6% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 15.0% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 16.5% | +9.7% |
| 2024 | 17.1% | +4.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 17.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.8%, 31% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 17.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 50% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +386.8% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1998 | +223.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 0.2% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.2% | 3.0% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 14.6% | 17.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More science & technology data for Zambia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 108.7 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.09 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 23.17 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 28.45 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 9.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 367.3 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Zambia?
- Share of the population using the internet in Zambia was 17.1% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 17.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Zambia ranks 199th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 163.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.