Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Urban population was 44.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 44.7%, measured in 2025. 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 in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 44.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 14.3% | — |
| 1961 | 14.7% | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 15.1% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 15.5% | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 15.9% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 16.3% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 16.7% | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 17.1% | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 18.0% | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 18.5% | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 19.0% | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 19.5% | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 20.0% | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 20.5% | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 21.0% | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 21.5% | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 22.0% | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 22.4% | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 22.9% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 23.4% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 23.8% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 24.2% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 24.7% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 25.2% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 25.7% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 26.2% | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 26.8% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 27.4% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 27.9% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 28.4% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 28.9% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 29.4% | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 29.8% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 30.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 30.6% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 31.0% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 31.4% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 31.8% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 32.2% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 32.7% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 33.1% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 33.6% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 34.1% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 34.6% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 35.1% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 35.6% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 36.1% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 36.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 37.1% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 37.5% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 38.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 38.4% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 38.9% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 39.4% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 39.8% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 40.3% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 40.8% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 41.3% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 41.7% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 42.2% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 42.6% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 43.2% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 43.6% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 44.1% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 44.7% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.1% | 14.3% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.7% | 18.5% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.5% | 23.4% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.4% | 28.4% | 32.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.9% | 32.7% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.6% | 37.5% | 41.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.4% | 42.2% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population growth 2.4% (2025)
- Population, total 1.32 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Urban population 590.23 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 16.3% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 132.54 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 3.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 17.3% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 14.0% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 44.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 44.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for urban population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.