Zambia: Explore the key data

LIfe expectancy has been steadily increasing for decades, although the COVID-19 pandemic halted progress in many parts of the world.

At birth, someone in Zambia can expect to live to 61.8 years. This is compared to 60.8 years in Sub-Saharan Africa and 72.0 years worldwide.

Six of the top 10 causes of death in low-income countries are preventable infectious diseases.

These deaths are concentrated in the world’s poorest countries. Only one of these conditions (lower respiratory infections) appears in the top 10 for higher-income countries.

These deaths are completely preventable and treatable with better access to health services and health technologies like vaccines and medicine.

Access to HIV/AIDS treatment has scaled up steadily since 2002 at a rate of about 2 million people per year.

In turn, AIDS-related deaths have dropped by over half since their peak in 2004.

As long as people living with HIV are on treatment, they can live long and healthy lives.

Over 600,000 people died from malaria in 2020. This chart shows the changes in deaths in the last two decades. Zambia is shown in purple.

The global malaria burden is disproportionately concentrated in Africa. In 2020, 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths occurred in Africa.

Children under age 5 accounted for about 80% of all malaria deaths in Africa.

Coverage of the diphtheria tetanus toxoid and pertussis (DTP3) vaccine is considered a proxy for routine childhood immunisation. A child who receives all three doses before turning 1 likely has regular access to health services.

Globally, coverage of DTP3 has improved dramatically over the past 20 years.

But for the first time in three decades, global vaccination coverage among children is declining.

Extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15/day (in 2017 PPPs), has been declining in recent decades. But the pandemic may have pushed up to 97 million more people into extreme poverty, reversing the downward trend.

To put it in perspective, a healthy diet costs more than $3 a day in Africa.

Use the buttons to choose between the share of the population and the total population.

This chart shows inflation rates over time.

Inflation stretches budgets even further, reducing purchasing power and making it harder for families to house, feed, and educate themselves.

Inflation refers to the year-on-year percentage change in the price of a standard basket of goods and services as calculated from the national Consumer Price Index.

This chart shows the proportion of people with insufficient food.

People with insufficient food consumption refers to those with poor or borderline food consumption. Data is available from WFP on a daily basis for most countries.

This chart shows inflation in food prices over time.

Food inflation refers to the year-on-year percentage change in the price of a standard basket of food as calculated from the national Consumer Price Index.

This chart shows trends in government spending, foreign aid, remittances, and foreign investment. All data is presented in USD million in constant 2023 prices and exchange rates.

Other countries can be added to the view by typing or selecting them at the top of the chart.

The World Bank provides essential financing for long-term development and infrastructure investments. In recent years, many African countries have turned to the bank for emergency financing, but it has faced criticism for being too conservative and slow.

Monthly disbursements show new USD disbursements in current dollars in a given month since 2017.

Cumulative disbursements cover the period since the World Bank’s COVID-19 support started in April 2020.

Other countries can be added to the view by typing or selecting them at the top of the chart. Use the drop down menu to change the indicator shown.

African external debt service payments have increased substantially in the past decade, in part due to higher interest payments on private loans.

This chart shows yearly external debt service owed to bilateral, multilateral, and private creditors. Debt service is interest plus principal payments on public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) debt, in USD million (current prices).

Africa’s external debt stocks have grown significantly in the past decade.

This chart shows how much is owed to each creditor type and how it has changed over time. It is based on public and publicly guaranteed long-term external debt outstanding and disbursed in USD billion (current prices).