The population of Zambia at the time of the 1990 census was 7,818,447. A 2001 estimate was 9,770,199, giving the nation an overall population density of 13 persons per sq km much of the northeast and west is sparsely colonised.

Zambia's population comprises more than 70 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. Most Zambians are subsistence farmers. The predominant religion is a blend of orthodox beliefs and Christianity. Expatriates, mostly British or South African, live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are employed in mines and related activities. Zambia also has a small but economically valuable Asian population, most of whom are Indians. The nation is 42% urban.