Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in Zambia
Zambia: Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports was 32.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Computer, communications and other services in Zambia, 1978–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
In 2025, computer, communications and other services in Zambia stood at 32.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 163.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, computer, communications and other services in Zambia peaked at 42.4% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1989.
That places Zambia 113th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 27.1% | — |
| 1979 | 25.0% | -7.7% |
| 1980 | 32.6% | +30.4% |
| 1981 | 36.4% | +11.5% |
| 1982 | 14.0% | -61.5% |
| 1983 | 29.4% | +110.0% |
| 1984 | 23.6% | -19.8% |
| 1985 | 16.2% | -31.4% |
| 1986 | 9.3% | -42.4% |
| 1987 | 13.2% | +41.8% |
| 1988 | 12.7% | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | -82.8% |
| 1990 | 3.3% | +52.4% |
| 1991 | 14.2% | +327.0% |
| 1997 | 11.9% | -16.0% |
| 1998 | 17.6% | +47.5% |
| 1999 | 17.4% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 17.6% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 16.1% | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 16.7% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 19.6% | +17.9% |
| 2004 | 23.2% | +18.3% |
| 2005 | 17.7% | -23.9% |
| 2006 | 25.1% | +41.9% |
| 2007 | 42.4% | +69.0% |
| 2008 | 27.1% | -36.2% |
| 2009 | 27.4% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 28.1% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | -40.2% |
| 2012 | 12.1% | -27.9% |
| 2013 | 27.5% | +127.4% |
| 2014 | 20.3% | -26.3% |
| 2015 | 12.1% | -40.1% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 14.6% | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 21.2% | +43.1% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | -40.3% |
| 2023 | 20.9% | +58.1% |
| 2024 | 31.6% | +51.2% |
| 2025 | 32.0% | +1.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 32.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 27.1%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 32.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 32.0%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +327.0% | 3.3% | 14.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.1% | 25.0% | 27.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 19.0% | 2.2% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.9% | 3.3% | 17.6% | 5 |
| 2000s | 23.3% | 16.1% | 42.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 12.1% | 28.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.5% | 13.2% | 32.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 2.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 8.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is computer, communications and other services in Zambia?
- Computer, communications and other services in Zambia was 32.0% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest computer, communications and other services recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.4% in 2007.
- What is the lowest computer, communications and other services recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1989.
- How does Zambia rank for computer, communications and other services?
- Zambia ranks 113th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is computer, communications and other services rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 163.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Computer, communications and other services include such activities as international telecommunications, and postal and courier services; computer data; news-related service transactions between residents and nonresidents; construction services; royalties and license fees; miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services; and personal, cultural, and recreational services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.