Urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Urban population, annual growth rate was 3.49 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.49 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.8%
Rank
10th
of 47 groups
All-time high
6.16 % change on previous year
in 1965
All-time low
3.49 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central stood at 3.49 % change on previous year. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central peaked at 6.16 % change on previous year in 1965 and was at its lowest, 3.49 % change on previous year, in 2025.
Africa Western and Central ranks 10th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.95 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 6.03 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 6.11 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 6.13 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 6.16 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 6.15 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 6.08 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 6.02 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 5.99 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.93 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 5.87 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 5.89 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 5.94 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 5.95 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 5.91 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 5.84 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 5.77 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 5.63 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 5.46 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 5.4 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 5.36 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 5.28 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 4.99 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 1984 | 4.85 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 4.9 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 4.71 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 4.93 % change on previous year | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 4.74 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 4.71 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 4.53 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 4.81 % change on previous year | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 4.49 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 4.36 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 4.26 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.31 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 4.35 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 4.4 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 4.43 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 4.37 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 4.38 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 4.43 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 4.41 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 4.38 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 4.37 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 4.37 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 4.35 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 4.25 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 4.23 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 4.19 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 4.17 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 4.18 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 4.12 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.05 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 4.03 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 4 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 3.93 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 3.87 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 3.76 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 3.65 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 3.62 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.59 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 3.57 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 3.6 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 3.56 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.07 % change on previous year | 5.95 % change on previous year | 6.16 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.82 % change on previous year | 5.46 % change on previous year | 5.95 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.99 % change on previous year | 4.71 % change on previous year | 5.4 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.43 % change on previous year | 4.26 % change on previous year | 4.81 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.34 % change on previous year | 4.19 % change on previous year | 4.43 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.98 % change on previous year | 3.65 % change on previous year | 4.18 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.57 % change on previous year | 3.49 % change on previous year | 3.62 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 7 Saudi Arabia 4.93 % change on previous year compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 4.93 % change on previous year compare
- 9 Uganda 4.91 % change on previous year compare
- 10 Mali 4.91 % change on previous year compare
- 11 Ethiopia 4.7 % change on previous year compare
- 12 Solomon Islands 4.54 % change on previous year compare
- 13 Malawi 4.53 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for Africa Western and Central
- Urban population growth 3.4% (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, 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 284.93 million (2025)
- Population, total 532.81 million (2025)
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 29.39 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central was 3.49 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 6.16 % change on previous year in 1965.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.49 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.