Provinces of Zambia: population and official figures
Zambia is divided into 10 provinces. The largest by population is Lusaka Province with 3,634,654 people (15.8% of the total); the smallest is Muchinga Province with 1,032,287. Population figures are Zambia Statistics Agency projections for mid-2026 from the 2022 census. Each province page adds jobs from the 2024 Labour Force Survey, income, electricity and poverty from the 2022 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, and health, education, water and sanitation from the 2024 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey.
Who governs Zambia's provinces?
Provinces (10): Provincial minister appointed by the President. Ensures national policy is carried out in districts; no elected provincial council.
How local power works in Zambia · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 10 provinces, largest first
| # | Province | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lusaka Province | 3,634,654 | 2026 | +2.7% |
| 2 | Copperbelt Province | 3,257,050 | 2026 | +3.0% |
| 3 | Eastern Province | 2,810,701 | 2026 | +2.6% |
| 4 | Southern Province | 2,804,849 | 2026 | +3.4% |
| 5 | Central Province | 2,735,746 | 2026 | +4.1% |
| 6 | Northern Province | 1,859,882 | 2026 | +3.0% |
| 7 | Luapula Province | 1,775,390 | 2026 | +3.1% |
| 8 | Western Province | 1,576,616 | 2026 | +3.0% |
| 9 | North-Western Province | 1,516,038 | 2026 | +3.6% |
| 10 | Muchinga Province | 1,032,287 | 2026 | +2.3% |
Cities: the largest cities of Zambia.
More on Zambia: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- Zambia Statistics Agency: 2022 Census of Population and Housing: National, Provincial and District Population Projections 2023-2047 (Tables A4, A5, A6; medium variant), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 76c7c9904915…)
- Zambia Statistics Agency: 2022 Census of Population and Housing: Summary Report (Tables 2.3, 2.4, 5.1; Figure 2.18), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cc53279c7344…)
- Zambia Statistics Agency and Ministry of Labour and Social Security: 2024 Labour Force Survey Report (Tables 4.2, 4.3, 10.2; Figures 5.6, 7.2, 10.10, 10.18), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9dac93f5249a…)
- Zambia Statistics Agency: 2022 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey Report (Tables 6.2, 10.2, 14.8; Figures 12.3, 12.6, 12.27), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5a8bbf667e0…)
- Zambia Statistics Agency and Ministry of Health (with ICF, The DHS Program): Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2024, Final Report (province rows of Tables 2.6, 2.12, 3.3, 3.9.1, 5.2, 8.1, 8.3, 9.8, 10.4, 11.1, 14.4.1, 16.11, 17.2, 17.7), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 12e99ddc4a98…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.