Taxes on goods and services as share of GDP in Zambia
Zambia: Taxes on goods and services as share of GDP was 7.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Taxes on goods and services as share of GDP in Zambia, 1990–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 7.2% for taxes on goods and services as share of gdp in 2023.
That represents a change of up 36.0% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on goods and services as share of gdp in Zambia peaked at 7.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1993.
Zambia ranks 98th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Taxes on goods and services as share of GDP in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4.4% | — |
| 1991 | 5.2% | +18.1% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | -12.4% |
| 1993 | 4.2% | -8.4% |
| 1994 | 6.0% | +43.4% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 6.1% | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 6.2% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 6.7% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 6.6% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 6.5% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 5.7% | -11.9% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -11.5% |
| 2009 | 4.5% | -16.3% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 5.3% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 6.4% | +21.0% |
| 2018 | 7.6% | +18.1% |
| 2019 | 6.9% | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | -16.3% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 7.2% | +36.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.3% | 4.2% | 6.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 6.0% | 4.5% | 6.7% | 8 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 4.7% | 7.6% | 6 |
| 2020s | 5.9% | 5.3% | 7.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More economy & growth data for Zambia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.92 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 10.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 24.24 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 31,945 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.9945 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 1,311 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), annual growth 4.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), per unit of 5.82 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is taxes on goods and services as share of gdp in Zambia?
- Taxes on goods and services as share of gdp in Zambia was 7.2% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on goods and services as share of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest taxes on goods and services as share of gdp recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1993.
- How does Zambia rank for taxes on goods and services as share of gdp?
- Zambia ranks 98th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on goods and services as share of gdp rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Taxes on goods and services as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Tax revenue on goods and services (including sales taxes, value added taxes and excise duties) divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.