Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in Zambia
Zambia: Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) was 31.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Taxes on goods and services in Zambia, 1990–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of revenue.
Analysis
In 2024, taxes on goods and services in Zambia stood at 31.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.1% on the previous year and down 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on goods and services in Zambia peaked at 50.4% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 18.3%, in 1993.
That places Zambia 73rd out of 156 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 37.4% | — |
| 1991 | 28.1% | -25.1% |
| 1992 | 30.5% | +8.8% |
| 1993 | 18.3% | -39.9% |
| 1994 | 26.9% | +46.5% |
| 1995 | 22.4% | -16.4% |
| 1996 | 47.5% | +111.4% |
| 1997 | 50.4% | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 31.7% | -37.1% |
| 1999 | 35.9% | +13.4% |
| 2003 | 29.6% | -17.6% |
| 2004 | 31.5% | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 29.5% | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 32.8% | +11.0% |
| 2007 | 28.7% | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 31.9% | +11.0% |
| 2009 | 28.3% | -11.3% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 23.9% | -19.7% |
| 2012 | 29.8% | +24.6% |
| 2013 | 38.1% | +28.0% |
| 2014 | 42.6% | +11.8% |
| 2015 | 32.4% | -23.9% |
| 2016 | 27.9% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 36.9% | +32.4% |
| 2018 | 38.0% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 35.3% | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 29.2% | -17.5% |
| 2021 | 22.6% | -22.3% |
| 2022 | 21.2% | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 28.6% | +34.8% |
| 2024 | 31.8% | +11.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 31.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.4%, 92% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 31.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 32.6%, 98% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 32.9% | 18.3% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.3% | 28.3% | 32.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 23.9% | 42.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 21.2% | 31.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
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 taxes on goods and services in Zambia?
- Taxes on goods and services in Zambia was 31.8% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest taxes on goods and services recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 50.4% in 1997.
- What is the lowest taxes on goods and services recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.3% in 1993.
- How does Zambia rank for taxes on goods and services?
- Zambia ranks 73rd out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is taxes on goods and services rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.4%. 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 Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
General taxes on goods and services are taxes levied on the production, leasing, delivery, sale, purchase or other change of ownership of a wide range of goods and the provision of a wide range of services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.