Population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Population, total, per square kilometre was 52.66 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 52.66 units per square kilometre for population, total, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 52.66 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11.58 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 26th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.58 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 11.87 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 12.17 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 12.48 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 12.8 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 13.13 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 13.48 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 13.83 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 14.21 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 14.6 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 14.99 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 15.4 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 15.83 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 16.28 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 16.75 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 17.23 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 17.72 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 18.24 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 18.8 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 19.36 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 19.94 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 20.57 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 21.19 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 21.8 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 22.44 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 23.1 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 23.78 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 24.46 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 25.16 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 25.87 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 26.58 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 27.31 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 26.61 units per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 27.33 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 28.06 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 28.82 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 29.59 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 30.39 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 31.21 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 32.05 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 32.92 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 33.81 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 34.74 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 35.45 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 36.43 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 37.44 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 38.48 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 39.56 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 40.67 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 41.81 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 42.97 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 39.53 units per square kilometre | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 40.63 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 41.75 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 42.89 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 44.03 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 45.2 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 46.41 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 47.63 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 48.87 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 50.12 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 51.38 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 52.66 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.84 units per square kilometre | 11.58 units per square kilometre | 14.21 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 16.58 units per square kilometre | 14.6 units per square kilometre | 18.8 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.18 units per square kilometre | 19.36 units per square kilometre | 25.16 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.18 units per square kilometre | 25.87 units per square kilometre | 31.21 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.16 units per square kilometre | 32.05 units per square kilometre | 40.67 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.29 units per square kilometre | 39.53 units per square kilometre | 47.63 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.76 units per square kilometre | 48.87 units per square kilometre | 52.66 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 23 Netherlands 530.95 units per square kilometre compare
- 24 Korea 529.84 units per square kilometre compare
- 25 India 483.68 units per square kilometre compare
- 26 Comoros 456.95 units per square kilometre compare
- 27 Israel 455.13 units per square kilometre compare
- 28 Haiti 422.26 units per square kilometre compare
- 29 Belgium 386.3 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 3.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.4466 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 44.7% (2025)
- Urban population 590.23 million (2025)
- Population, total 1.32 billion (2025)
- Population growth 2.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Population, total, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 52.66 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population, total, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 52.66 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population, total, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.58 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for population, total, per square kilometre?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is population, total, per square kilometre rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, total, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Population, total divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Population, total ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Population, total divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.