Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) vs Sweden: Urban population

Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
44.7%
in 2025
Sweden
89.1%
in 2025
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank
37th
Sweden rank
35th

Urban population over time

  • Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
  • Sweden
20406080196019922025

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 89.1% against 44.7% in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), a difference of 44.4%.

That makes Sweden's figure about 2.0 times Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)'s.

Across all 66 years both countries report, Sweden has been ahead every year.

Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 37th and Sweden ranks 35th of 47 groups.

Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) Sweden Difference Ahead
1960s 16.1% 76.6% 60.5% Sweden
1970s 20.7% 82.4% 61.7% Sweden
1980s 25.5% 83.1% 57.6% Sweden
1990s 30.4% 83.8% 53.4% Sweden
2000s 34.9% 84.4% 49.5% Sweden
2010s 39.6% 86.4% 46.8% Sweden
2020s 43.4% 88.5% 45.1% Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher urban population, Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) or Sweden?
Sweden, at 89.1% against 44.7% in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) as of 2025.
What is the difference in urban population between Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) and Sweden?
44.4%, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) and Sweden?
66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
How do Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) and Sweden rank globally for urban population?
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 37th and Sweden ranks 35th of 47 groups.
Where does this data come from?
World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) vs Sweden: Urban population. Statizoid, drawing on World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/urban-population-percent-of-total-population/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-high-income/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Urban population (% of total population)
Unit
% of total population
Source
World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
266 places, 17,556 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.