What is the highest population, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

The highest recorded value was 1.32 billion in 2025.

What is the lowest population, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

The lowest recorded value was 227.71 million in 1960.

How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for population, total?

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.

Is population, total rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?

Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?

The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Name: Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Creator: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Population, total was 1.32 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

1.32 billion

Change on year

up 2.5%

Rank

18th

of 47 groups

All-time high

1.32 billion

in 2025

All-time low

227.71 million

in 1960

Years of data

1960–2025

Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025

Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).

Analysis

In 2025, population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 1.32 billion. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 1.32 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 227.71 million, in 1960.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1960	227.71 million	—
1961	233.24 million	+2.4%
1962	239.03 million	+2.5%
1963	245.03 million	+2.5%
1964	251.29 million	+2.6%
1965	257.79 million	+2.6%
1966	264.48 million	+2.6%
1967	271.42 million	+2.6%
1968	278.65 million	+2.7%
1969	286.17 million	+2.7%
1970	293.98 million	+2.7%
1971	302.00 million	+2.7%
1972	310.20 million	+2.7%
1973	318.87 million	+2.8%
1974	327.99 million	+2.9%
1975	337.37 million	+2.9%
1976	347.03 million	+2.9%
1977	356.82 million	+2.8%
1978	367.36 million	+3.0%
1979	378.57 million	+3.1%
1980	389.83 million	+3.0%
1981	401.67 million	+3.0%
1982	414.25 million	+3.1%
1983	426.71 million	+3.0%
1984	439.11 million	+2.9%
1985	452.01 million	+2.9%
1986	465.26 million	+2.9%
1987	478.91 million	+2.9%
1988	492.71 million	+2.9%
1989	506.73 million	+2.8%
1990	521.03 million	+2.8%
1991	535.33 million	+2.7%
1992	549.97 million	+2.7%
1993	565.25 million	+2.8%
1994	580.48 million	+2.7%
1995	596.08 million	+2.7%
1996	612.27 million	+2.7%
1997	628.57 million	+2.7%
1998	645.49 million	+2.7%
1999	662.92 million	+2.7%
2000	680.77 million	+2.7%
2001	699.22 million	+2.7%
2002	718.28 million	+2.7%
2003	737.92 million	+2.7%
2004	758.24 million	+2.8%
2005	779.23 million	+2.8%
2006	800.83 million	+2.8%
2007	823.12 million	+2.8%
2008	846.22 million	+2.8%
2009	869.93 million	+2.8%
2010	894.26 million	+2.8%
2011	919.11 million	+2.8%
2012	944.52 million	+2.8%
2013	970.75 million	+2.8%
2014	997.43 million	+2.7%
2015	1.02 billion	+2.7%
2016	1.05 billion	+2.7%
2017	1.08 billion	+2.7%
2018	1.11 billion	+2.7%
2019	1.14 billion	+2.6%
2020	1.17 billion	+2.6%
2021	1.20 billion	+2.6%
2022	1.23 billion	+2.5%
2023	1.26 billion	+2.5%
2024	1.29 billion	+2.5%
2025	1.32 billion	+2.5%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	255.48 million	227.71 million	286.17 million	10
1970s	334.02 million	293.98 million	378.57 million	10
1980s	446.72 million	389.83 million	506.73 million	10
1990s	589.74 million	521.03 million	662.92 million	10
2000s	771.38 million	680.77 million	869.93 million	10
2010s	1.01 billion	894.26 million	1.14 billion	10
2020s	1.24 billion	1.17 billion	1.32 billion	6

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

15 Democratic Republic of Congo 112.83 million compare
16 Vietnam 101.60 million compare
17 Iran 92.42 million compare
18 Turkey 85.88 million compare
19 Germany 83.49 million compare
20 Thailand 71.62 million compare
21 Tanzania 70.55 million compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Urban population 590.23 million (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 growth 3.6% (2025)
Population growth 2.4% (2025)
Urban population, per square kilometre 22.98 units per square kilometre (2023)
Population, total, per square kilometre 52.66 units per square kilometre (2023)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 1.32 billion in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
What is the highest population, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: The highest recorded value was 1.32 billion in 2025.
What is the lowest population, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: The lowest recorded value was 227.71 million in 1960.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for population, total?: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
Is population, total rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?: Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?: The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population, total in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/population-total/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator: Population, total
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 266 places, 17,526 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 17 September 2026

Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.