Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Zambia
Zambia: Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) was 12.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Subsidies and other transfers in Zambia, 1998–2021
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
In 2021, subsidies and other transfers in Zambia stood at 12.6%.
That represents a change of up 6.5% on the previous year and up 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, subsidies and other transfers in Zambia peaked at 25.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2001.
Zambia ranks 142nd of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 18.9% | — |
| 1999 | 20.1% | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | -82.8% |
| 2002 | 19.1% | +452.3% |
| 2003 | 8.1% | -57.4% |
| 2004 | 15.2% | +86.7% |
| 2005 | 18.0% | +18.5% |
| 2006 | 18.5% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 25.2% | +36.2% |
| 2008 | 25.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 20.0% | -21.1% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 10.8% | -43.8% |
| 2012 | 16.2% | +50.2% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | +20.2% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 23.0% | +26.0% |
| 2016 | 9.8% | -57.5% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | +40.7% |
| 2018 | 11.9% | -13.6% |
| 2019 | 9.8% | -17.4% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | +20.5% |
| 2021 | 12.6% | +6.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 12.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.6%, 37% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 12.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.7%, 49% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense) in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +452.3% | 3.5% | 19.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.5% | 18.9% | 20.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.0% | 3.5% | 25.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 15.2% | 9.8% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 11.8% | 12.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 139 Belize 14.8% compare
- 140 East Timor 14.1% compare
- 141 Denmark 13.3% compare
- 143 Guinea-Bissau 11.9% compare
- 144 Mozambique 11.9% compare
- 145 Laos 11.7% compare
More public sector data for Zambia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.0469 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -80 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is subsidies and other transfers in Zambia?
- Subsidies and other transfers in Zambia was 12.6% in 2021, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest subsidies and other transfers recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2001.
- How does Zambia rank for subsidies and other transfers?
- Zambia ranks 142nd out of 152 countries with data for 2021.
- Is subsidies and other transfers rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Subsidies and other transfers (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.