Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 18.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central stood at 18.1%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central peaked at 18.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1960.
That places Africa Western and Central 23rd out of 37 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.9% | — |
| 1961 | 5.1% | +5.1% |
| 1962 | 5.4% | +4.9% |
| 1963 | 5.6% | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 5.8% | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 6.1% | +3.8% |
| 1966 | 6.3% | +3.9% |
| 1967 | 6.6% | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 6.8% | +4.0% |
| 1969 | 7.1% | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 7.4% | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 7.7% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 8.3% | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 8.7% | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 9.0% | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 9.3% | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 9.6% | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 9.9% | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 10.5% | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 10.7% | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 11.0% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 11.6% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 12.1% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 12.4% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 12.6% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 12.9% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 13.2% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 13.4% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 13.5% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 13.5% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 13.9% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 14.0% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 14.1% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 14.4% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 14.6% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 15.1% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 15.2% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 15.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 15.4% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 15.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 15.6% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 15.9% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 16.2% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 16.4% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 16.5% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 16.9% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 17.0% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 17.6% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 17.9% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 18.1% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.0% | 4.9% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.8% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.7% | 10.5% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.7% | 13.2% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.1% | 14.4% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.2% | 15.6% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 17.0% | 18.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More climate change data for Africa Western and Central
- Urban population 284.93 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 3.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.5348 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 53.5% (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.4% (2025)
- Population, total 532.81 million (2025)
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Africa Western and Central was 18.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 18.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1960.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 23rd out of 37 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. 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 Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the percentage of a country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.