Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Urban population was 44.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 44.7% for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 44.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 33rd out of 45 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, 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
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- 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)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 50.90 million t (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 44.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for urban population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 33rd out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population 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 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.