Zambia Income Share Bottom 10%
Income share held by lowest 10% SI.DST.FRST.10
Zambia's income share bottom 10% was 1.42% in 2025, ranked 68th globally. This represents a 5.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Zambia's income share bottom 10% stood at 1.42% in 2025, a decline of +0.08pp from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.42% by 2025. Zambia ranked 68th globally.
Zambia’s share of national income accruing to the bottom 10 % of the population stood at 1.42 % in 2025, placing the country 68th in the world ranking. The indicator rose from a trough of 0.80 % in 1991, reached an all‑time peak of 2.40 % in 2002, and has since settled at a level that remains below the peak despite a modest upward trajectory over the past three decades. Compared with regional peers, Mozambique records a slightly higher share at 1.52 %, while Brazil’s share is marginally lower at 1.36 %, illustrating that Zambia’s distribution remains relatively constrained within the lower‑income bracket. The modest improvement reflects gradual fiscal reforms and targeted social programmes, yet the persistence of a share well under 2 % signals limited progress in poverty reduction. Continued investment in inclusive growth policies, coupled with stronger social safety nets, could accelerate the rise of the bottom‑decile income share and shift the long‑term trend upward.
Data & projection
| Year | Income Share Bottom 10% | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 1.42% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.42% | −0.08pp | #68 |
| 2022 | 1.50% | +0.30pp | #66 |
| 2015 | 1.20% | −0.40pp | #80 |
| 2010 | 1.60% | +0.20pp | #77 |
| 2006 | 1.40% | +0.00pp | #72 |
| 2004 | 1.40% | −1.00pp | #64 |
| 2002 | 2.40% | +0.80pp | #42 |
| 1998 | 1.60% | −0.10pp | #37 |
| 1996 | 1.70% | +0.60pp | #31 |
| 1993 | 1.10% | +0.30pp | #32 |
| 1991 | 0.80% | – | #20 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Zambia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw income share bottom 10% improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Zambia's income share bottom 10% was 1.42% in 2025. Ranked 68th globally. This represents a 5.1% decrease from the previous year.
Zambia's income share bottom 10% peaked at 2.40% in 2002.
The lowest income share bottom 10% in Zambia was 0.80% in 1991.
Zambia ranks 68th globally in income share bottom 10% as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.DST.FRST.10. Data sourced from World Bank.
Zambia's income share bottom 10% is projected to reach 1.42% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The income share bottom 10% of Zambia in 2025 was 1.42%. This ranks 68th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_zambia_income-bottom-10,
title = {Zambia Income Share Bottom 10%},
url = {https://historysaid.com/zambia/income-bottom-10/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}