> Zambia had 330,243 sheep in 2024, the 112th largest in the world (0.02% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 38%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/zambia/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)›ZambiaFAOSTAT · 1961–2024

# Sheep in Zambia

Zambia had 330,243 sheep in 2024, the 112th largest in the world (0.02% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 38%. This is the highest figure on record.
The 2024 figure is imputed by FAO.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/lamb/)[Market prices in Zambia](https://husfarm.com/country/zambia/)

Animals, 2024330,243 head
World rank112 of 177
10-year change+38%
Record330,243 head2024

## Sheep in Zambia, 1961–2024 (head)

## Zambia compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.02%0.02% in 2014
10-year change+38%world +17%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 110 | [Cyprus](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/cyprus/) | 364,750 | 0.03% |
| 111 | [Iceland](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iceland/) | 345,440 | 0.03% |
| 112 | **Zambia** | 330,243 | 0.02% |
| 113 | [Sweden](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sweden/) | 315,790 | 0.02% |
| 114 | [Haiti](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/haiti/) | 311,123 | 0.02% |

[Full ranking of 177 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

### Map of sheep numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Zambia is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 330,243 | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 308,354 | +18% |
| 2022 | 260,560 | +16% |
| 2021 | 224,727 | +14% |
| 2020 | 196,428 | +19% |
| 2019 | 165,236 | −11% |
| 2018 | 185,105 | +8.7% |
| 2017 | 170,262 | −30% |
| 2016 | 243,175 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 241,439 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 240,000 | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 240,000 | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 230,000 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 225,000 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 220,000 | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 210,000 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 200,000 | 0.0% |
| 2007 | 200,000 | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 195,000 | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 190,000 | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 180,000 | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 170,000 | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 165,000 | +10% |
| 2001 | 150,000 | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 140,000 | +17% |
| 1999 | 120,000 | +21% |
| 1998 | 99,000 | +24% |
| 1997 | 80,000 | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 77,000 | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 74,000 | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 70,000 | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 67,000 | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 63,000 | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 62,000 | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 60,000 | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 55,382 | +9.4% |
| 1988 | 50,641 | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 47,241 | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 44,019 | +7.2% |
| 1985 | 41,060 | +13% |
| 1984 | 36,244 | −28% |
| 1983 | 50,000 | −10.0% |
| 1982 | 55,525 | +109% |
| 1981 | 26,530 | −3.7% |
| 1980 | 27,540 | −16% |
| 1979 | 32,622 | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 30,461 | −5.2% |
| 1977 | 32,128 | +28% |
| 1976 | 25,128 | −10% |
| 1975 | 28,000 | −6.7% |
| 1974 | 30,000 | 0.0% |
| 1973 | 30,000 | −14% |
| 1972 | 35,000 | 0.0% |
| 1971 | 35,000 | +9.4% |
| 1970 | 32,000 | 0.0% |
| 1969 | 32,000 | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 31,900 | −2.4% |
| 1967 | 32,700 | +11% |
| 1966 | 29,500 | −4.8% |
| 1965 | 31,000 | −14% |
| 1964 | 36,000 | 0.0% |
| 1963 | 36,000 | −2.7% |
| 1962 | 37,000 | −2.6% |
| 1961 | 38,000 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many sheep are there in Zambia?

Zambia had 330,243 sheep in 2024, 0.02% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Zambia rank in the world by number of sheep?

Zambia ranked 112th of 177 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 13.4% of the world total.

### How has the number of sheep in Zambia changed?

It rose by 38% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +17% for the world. 2024 was the highest figure on record.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Zambia is imputed by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/china/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/india/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/australia/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iran/)[Nigeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/nigeria/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/chad/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/turkey/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/ethiopia/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sudan/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/pakistan/)[Algeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/algeria/)[United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/united-kingdom/)
[All countries producing sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

## Other products of Zambia

[Sugar cane](https://husfarm.com/production/sugar-cane/zambia/)[Cassava](https://husfarm.com/production/cassava/zambia/)[Maize](https://husfarm.com/production/maize/zambia/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/zambia/)[Raw sugar](https://husfarm.com/production/raw-sugar/zambia/)[Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-vegetables/zambia/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/zambia/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/zambia/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/zambia/)[Soybeans](https://husfarm.com/production/soybeans/zambia/)[Molasses](https://husfarm.com/production/molasses/zambia/)[Groundnuts (peanuts)](https://husfarm.com/production/groundnuts/zambia/)
[Agricultural production in Zambia](https://husfarm.com/production/country/zambia/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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