Urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Urban population, per capita was 0.4466 units per person in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 0.4466 units per person. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 0.4466 units per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.1434 units per person, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 35th out of 47 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.
Urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.1434 units per person | — |
| 1961 | 0.147 units per person | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 0.1507 units per person | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 0.1546 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 0.1585 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 0.1627 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 0.167 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 0.1713 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 0.1757 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 0.1802 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 0.1848 units per person | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 0.1895 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 0.1945 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 0.1996 units per person | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 0.2047 units per person | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 0.2097 units per person | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 0.2147 units per person | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 0.2196 units per person | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 0.2243 units per person | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 0.2289 units per person | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 0.2335 units per person | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 0.2381 units per person | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 0.2425 units per person | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 0.2471 units per person | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 0.2521 units per person | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 0.2572 units per person | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 0.2624 units per person | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.2681 units per person | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 0.2737 units per person | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 0.2792 units per person | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 0.2843 units per person | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 0.2895 units per person | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 0.2937 units per person | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 0.2978 units per person | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 0.3021 units per person | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 0.3062 units per person | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 0.3099 units per person | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 0.3137 units per person | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 0.3179 units per person | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 0.3222 units per person | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 0.3266 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 0.3312 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 0.336 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 0.341 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.3461 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 0.3513 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 0.3564 units per person | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 0.361 units per person | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 0.3662 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 0.3709 units per person | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.3753 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.3798 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 0.3842 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.3888 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 0.3936 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.3984 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 0.403 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 0.4077 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 0.4126 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.4171 units per person | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 0.4217 units per person | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4265 units per person | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 0.4316 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 0.4364 units per person | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 0.4415 units per person | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 0.4466 units per person | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1611 units per person | 0.1434 units per person | 0.1802 units per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.207 units per person | 0.1848 units per person | 0.2289 units per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2554 units per person | 0.2335 units per person | 0.2792 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3037 units per person | 0.2843 units per person | 0.3222 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3487 units per person | 0.3266 units per person | 0.3709 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.396 units per person | 0.3753 units per person | 0.4171 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.434 units per person | 0.4217 units per person | 0.4466 units per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 32 Türkiye 0.8949 units per person compare
- 33 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 0.8932 units per person compare
- 34 Chile 0.8918 units per person compare
- 35 Sweden 0.8908 units per person compare
- 36 Andorra 0.8895 units per person compare
- 37 Denmark 0.8885 units per person compare
- 38 Greenland 0.8857 units per person compare
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 4.27 billion kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that) 6.71 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that leaches) 15.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 67.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 88.91 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 4.27 billion kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 427.00 million kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 1.28 billion kg (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 137.43 kt (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 3.56 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Urban population, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 0.4466 units per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4466 units per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population, per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1434 units per person in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for urban population, per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban population ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Population, total World Population 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
Urban population divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.