Population growth in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Population growth was 2.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population growth in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 2.3% for population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Africa Western and Central peaked at 2.9% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1961.
Africa Western and Central ranks 8th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Population growth in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.1% | — |
| 1962 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 2.2% | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 2.2% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 2.3% | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 2.4% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 2.7% | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 2.7% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 2.8% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 2.9% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 2.7% | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 2.7% | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 2.8% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 2.4% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 2.3% | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 5 Syrian Arab Republic 3.8% compare
- 6 Chad 3.4% compare
- 7 Central African Republic 3.4% compare
- 8 Somalia 3.3% compare
- 9 Niger 3.2% compare
- 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.2% compare
- 11 Georgia 3.2% compare
More climate change data for Africa Western and Central
- Population, total 532.81 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.4% (2025)
- Urban population 284.93 million (2025)
- Urban population 53.5% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 18.1% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 32.38 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 1.7% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 16.3% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 13.0% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 2.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Africa Western and Central?
- Population growth in Africa Western and Central was 2.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1982.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1961.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for population growth?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 8th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.