Zirconium has 4 valence electrons.
To understand why, we need to look at its position in the periodic table. Zirconium is located in group 4, which generally indicates that elements in this group have four outermost electrons. These valence electrons are important because they determine how the element will react chemically and bond with other elements. In the case of zirconium, having four valence electrons allows it to participate in various chemical reactions and compounds, making it a versatile metal used in numerous applications, especially in the nuclear and aerospace industries.