Matabeleland South: population, jobs, cost of living, poverty, health, schooling, water and housing
Matabeleland South is a province of Zimbabwe, number 9 of 10 by population. The 2022 Population and Housing Census counted 760,345 people in Matabeleland South province (370,517 men and boys, 389,828 women and girls), 5.0% of Zimbabwe's 15,178,957; 2nd smallest of the 10 provinces.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Matabeleland South: 19.8% of the labour force aged 15 and over in Matabeleland South was unemployed at the 2022 census (strict definition: without work and looking for it), 2nd highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 14.8%); the rate was 28.0% for women and 15.5% for men.
- Health in Matabeleland South: The 2022 census recorded an under-five mortality rate of 26.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in Matabeleland South and an infant mortality rate of 14.1; the under-five rate is the lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 39.7 and 24.2).
- Education in Matabeleland South: 42.0% of secondary-school-age children in Matabeleland South were attending secondary school in 2023-24 (net attendance ratio), the lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 53.5%).
- Poverty and living standards in Matabeleland South: 76.9% of people in Matabeleland South lived below the total consumption poverty line in 2017, ZIMSTAT's latest provincial poverty measurement (PICES 2017), 5th highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 70.5%).
Is the population of Matabeleland South growing?
Matabeleland South's population grew from 683,893 in the 2012 census to 760,345 in 2022, an average of 1.1% a year, 4th slowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 1.5% a year).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyHow many people in Matabeleland South live in towns?
18.1% of Matabeleland South's people lived in urban areas at the 2022 census (137,908 urban, 622,437 rural), 4th least urban of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 38.6%). The province had 14 people per square kilometre (Zimbabwe: 39).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyHow many children do women in Matabeleland South have?
Women in Matabeleland South had 3.6 children each on average according to the 2022 census, 3rd lowest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 3.7).
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) · saved copyAre births registered in Matabeleland South?
75.0% of children under five in Matabeleland South had their birth registered with the civil authorities in 2023-24, 2nd highest of the 10 provinces (Zimbabwe: 56.6%); 53.0% had a birth certificate.
Source: Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow provinces are governed in Zimbabwe
Provinces (8) and metropolitan provinces (2: Harare, Bulawayo). In practice a Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution appointed by the President; constitutional provincial/metropolitan councils not yet in operation. Coordinates government programmes in the province.
Every tier of government in Zimbabwe
Other provinces of Zimbabwe
- Harare 2,427,231
- Manicaland 2,037,703
- Mashonaland West 1,893,584
- Midlands 1,811,905
- Mashonaland East 1,731,173
- Masvingo 1,638,528
- Mashonaland Central 1,384,891
- Matabeleland North 827,645
- Bulawayo 665,952
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Sources
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): 2022 Population and Housing Census Report (Volume 1): appendix tables by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bdebd23be87e…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) and Ministry of Health and Child Care, with ICF (The DHS Program): Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24: Final Report (province rows of the tables), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a74a171032f…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): Poverty Datum Lines: Food and Total Consumption Poverty Lines per person per month by province, April 2024 to October 2026, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 49b9d5ceb7eb…)
- Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT): Zimbabwe Poverty Report 2017 (PICES 2017), Tables 2.7 and 2.8: poverty by province, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2aeb02bbf4c7…)
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