Urban population growth in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Urban population growth was 3.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 3.4% for urban population growth in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Africa Western and Central peaked at 6.0% in 1965 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2025.
That places Africa Western and Central 10th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population growth in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.8% | — |
| 1962 | 5.9% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 5.9% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 5.9% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 6.0% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 6.0% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 5.9% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 5.8% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 5.8% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.8% | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 5.7% | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 5.7% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 5.8% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 5.8% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 5.7% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 5.7% | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 5.6% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 5.5% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 5.3% | -2.9% |
| 1980 | 5.3% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 5.2% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 5.1% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 4.9% | -5.3% |
| 1984 | 4.7% | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 4.6% | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 4.8% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 4.6% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | -3.8% |
| 1991 | 4.7% | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | -6.5% |
| 1993 | 4.3% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 4.2% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 4.3% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 4.3% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 4.3% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 4.3% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 4.3% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 4.3% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 4.1% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 4.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 3.7% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.5% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.9% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 3.6% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 7 Saudi Arabia 4.8% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 4.8% compare
- 9 Uganda 4.8% compare
- 10 Mali 4.8% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 4.6% compare
- 12 Solomon Islands 4.4% compare
- 13 Malawi 4.4% compare
More climate change data for Africa Western and Central
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Population, total 532.81 million (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 urban population growth in Africa Western and Central?
- Urban population growth in Africa Western and Central was 3.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 6.0% in 1965.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for urban population growth?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 10th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban 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 urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.