Urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Urban population, per square kilometre was 22.98 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 22.98 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 45.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 22.98 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.7 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 33rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.7 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.79 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 1.88 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1965 | 2.08 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 2.19 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1967 | 2.31 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1968 | 2.43 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 2.56 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 2.7 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 2.84 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 3 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 3.16 units per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 3.33 units per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1975 | 3.51 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 3.7 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 3.89 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 4.09 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 4.3 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 4.52 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 4.75 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 4.99 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 5.24 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 5.5 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 5.77 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 6.06 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 6.38 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 6.69 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 7.02 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 7.36 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1991 | 7.69 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 8.02 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 7.92 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 8.26 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 8.59 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1996 | 8.93 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 9.28 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 9.66 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 10.06 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 10.47 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 10.9 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 11.36 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 11.85 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 12.27 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 12.8 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 13.34 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 13.89 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 14.49 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 15.08 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 15.69 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 16.32 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 15.19 units per square kilometre | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 15.8 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 16.43 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 17.08 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 17.75 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 18.43 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 19.15 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 19.87 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 20.61 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 21.38 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 22.17 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 22.98 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.1 units per square kilometre | 1.7 units per square kilometre | 2.56 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.45 units per square kilometre | 2.7 units per square kilometre | 4.3 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.69 units per square kilometre | 4.52 units per square kilometre | 7.02 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.58 units per square kilometre | 7.36 units per square kilometre | 10.06 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.65 units per square kilometre | 10.47 units per square kilometre | 15.08 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.17 units per square kilometre | 15.19 units per square kilometre | 19.87 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.79 units per square kilometre | 20.61 units per square kilometre | 22.98 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 30 Kuwait 272.36 units per square kilometre compare
- 31 Luxembourg 245.41 units per square kilometre compare
- 32 Mauritius 243.88 units per square kilometre compare
- 33 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 235.55 units per square kilometre compare
- 34 Haiti 229.92 units per square kilometre compare
- 35 Qatar 229.5 units per square kilometre compare
- 36 El Salvador 227.19 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 urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 22.98 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 22.98 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 33rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.5%. 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, 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
Urban population 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.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization 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
Urban population 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.