Happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia
Zambia: Happiness vs. life satisfaction was 4.11 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia, 2011–2025
Source: Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia is 4.11, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 5.0% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia peaked at 5.13 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 3.5, in 2023.
That places Zambia 136th out of 157 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 4.71 | — |
| 2012 | 5.01 | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 5.13 | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 4.79 | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 4.51 | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 4.38 | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 4.11 | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 3.76 | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 4.07 | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 3.76 | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 3.98 | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 3.5 | -12.1% |
| 2024 | 3.91 | +11.7% |
| 2025 | 4.11 | +5.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4.11 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.63, 89% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4.11 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.38, 94% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.55 | 3.76 | 5.13 | 8 |
| 2020s | 3.89 | 3.5 | 4.11 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia?
- Happiness vs. life satisfaction in Zambia was 4.11 in 2025, according to Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest happiness vs. life satisfaction recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.13 in 2014.
- What is the lowest happiness vs. life satisfaction recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5 in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for happiness vs. life satisfaction?
- Zambia ranks 136th out of 157 countries with data for 2025.
- Is happiness vs. life satisfaction rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Wellbeing Research Centre (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Happiness vs. life satisfaction. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average of survey responses. The survey question asks respondents their current position on a hypothetical ladder, where the best possible life for them is a 10, and the worst possible life is a 0.