The Living Bread Research
Christianity in Zambia: How Many Christians and Churches?
Zambia is home to roughly 20 million people, of whom about 98% identify as Christian, around 19 million, according to Zambia census (2022). Counting the exact number of churches is much harder, because no single registry lists every congregation; The Living Bread has mapped 340 churches in Zambia so far from open data, a growing sample rather than a national total.
Which churches are in Zambia?
Christianity in Zambia is Protestant 74.5%, Roman Catholic 17.9%.
How these numbers are counted
Christian share and population are estimates that differ between sources and years. Here the Christian share is from Zambia census (2022) and the population is from Wikidata. National Christian estimates from Pew Research Center, government censuses, and other bodies can each differ by several points, so we cite the source and year rather than presenting a single "true" number.
The church count (340) is The Living Bread's own directory, built from OpenStreetMap. It is a growing sample of mapped congregations, not a claim about the total number of churches in the country, which no single registry reliably measures.
People also ask
How many Christians are in Zambia?
About 98% of the population, roughly 19 million people, identify as Christian, according to Zambia census (2022). Estimates differ between sources and years, so treat this as a well-sourced approximation.
How many churches are in Zambia?
There is no single authoritative count of every church. The Living Bread has mapped 340 churches in Zambia from OpenStreetMap so far. That is a growing directory sample, not the national total, which is genuinely difficult to measure because congregations open, close, and go unregistered.
What is the population of Zambia?
Approximately 19,610,769 people, per Wikidata's most recent figure. Combined with the Christian share above, that gives an estimate of around 19 million Christians.
Where do these numbers come from?
The Christian share is from Zambia census (2022); the population is from Wikidata; and the church count is The Living Bread's own directory built on OpenStreetMap. We cite each so you can check them yourself.
Find a church, or explore the faith
Explore the Christian landscape of Zambia, browse its churches, or begin with who Jesus is.
Christianity in ZambiaChurches in ZambiaWho is Jesus?Sources: Zambia census (2022) for the Christian share; Wikidata for population; OpenStreetMap contributors for the church directory. Figures are estimates; see the methodology above.