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Population · World Bank region

Population in Sub-Saharan Africa: how the countries rank

How many people live where, how fast populations grow and how old they are. 12 indicators for the 48 economies of Sub-Saharan Africa, ranked within the group; the group figure is the World Bank aggregate.

Population1.3bnSub-Saharan Africa, 2025 · world 8.2bnPopulation growth2.43%Sub-Saharan Africa, 2025 · world 0.91%Urban share44.7%Sub-Saharan Africa, 2025 · world 57.8%Density52.7Sub-Saharan Africa, 2023 · world 62.1Fertility4.26Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 2.19Birth rate32.8Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 16.3Death rate8.0Sub-Saharan Africa, 2024 · world 7.6Aged 0–1440.4%Sub-Saharan Africa, 2025 · world 24.4%
Population
Sub-Saharan AfricaWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
02.5bn5.0bn7.5bn10.0bn1995200020052010201520202025Sub-Saharan Africa1.3bnWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
Population growth
Sub-Saharan AfricaWorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
-1.0%0%1.0%2.0%3.0%1995200020052010201520202025Sub-Saharan Africa2.43%WorldEast Asia & PacificEurope & Central AsiaLatin America & Caribbean
countries

All 48 economies, population

Latest value and rank within the group (small figure). Click a column to sort; the country name opens its population profile.

48 shown
CountryPopulationPopulation growthUrban shareDensityFertilityBirth rateDeath rateAged 0–14
Nigeria238m#1 · 20252.06%#32 · 202563.8%#10 · 2025255.5#7 · 20244.38#13 · 202432.5#18 · 202411.6#1 · 202440.5%#18 · 2025
Ethiopia135m#2 · 20252.55%#15 · 202524.1%#45 · 2025117.7#16 · 20243.91#25 · 202431.5#22 · 20245.9#39 · 202438.8%#28 · 2025
Democratic Republic of the Congo113m#3 · 20253.20%#5 · 202545.1%#24 · 202548.2#31 · 20245.98#3 · 202440.9#5 · 20248.4#14 · 202445.9%#5 · 2025
Tanzania70.5m#4 · 20252.86%#8 · 202536.9%#32 · 202577.6#22 · 20244.54#11 · 202434.8#9 · 20245.7#41 · 202442.3%#12 · 2025
South Africa64.7m#5 · 20251.15%#43 · 202563.8%#9 · 202552.8#30 · 20242.21#45 · 202418.5#45 · 20249.2#8 · 202425.7%#45 · 2025
Kenya57.5m#6 · 20251.93%#38 · 202532.2%#38 · 202597.2#18 · 20243.17#41 · 202427.0#39 · 20247.2#23 · 202436.3%#39 · 2025
Sudan51.7m#7 · 20252.38%#21 · 202534.9%#33 · 202527.0#38 · 20244.26#14 · 202433.0#16 · 20246.3#32 · 202440.2%#22 · 2025
Uganda51.4m#8 · 20252.70%#12 · 202531.9%#39 · 2025249.4#8 · 20244.17#17 · 202434.4#10 · 20244.8#48 · 202443.1%#10 · 2025
Angola39.0m#9 · 20253.00%#6 · 202571.5%#4 · 202530.4#34 · 20245.05#7 · 202437.2#7 · 20246.8#30 · 202444.1%#8 · 2025
Mozambique35.6m#10 · 20252.85%#9 · 202537.2%#31 · 202544.0#32 · 20244.69#9 · 202437.0#8 · 20246.9#29 · 202444.2%#7 · 2025
Ghana35.1m#11 · 20251.83%#41 · 202558.9%#12 · 2025151.3#12 · 20243.34#39 · 202425.9#40 · 20247.0#26 · 202435.4%#41 · 2025
Madagascar32.7m#12 · 20252.40%#19 · 202532.9%#36 · 202554.9#29 · 20243.91#24 · 202431.7#20 · 20247.5#22 · 202438.9%#27 · 2025
Côte d'Ivoire32.7m#13 · 20252.40%#17 · 202554.5%#17 · 2025100.4#17 · 20244.23#16 · 202431.6#21 · 20247.6#20 · 202440.5%#19 · 2025
Cameroon29.9m#14 · 20252.56%#13 · 202555.7%#15 · 202561.6#26 · 20244.26#15 · 202433.3#13 · 20247.0#25 · 202441.1%#15 · 2025
Niger27.9m#15 · 20253.22%#4 · 202518.4%#47 · 202521.3#39 · 20245.93#5 · 202441.4#4 · 20248.7#10 · 202446.2%#3 · 2025
Mali25.2m#16 · 20252.90%#7 · 202532.2%#37 · 202520.1#40 · 20245.51#6 · 202439.5#6 · 20248.5#12 · 202445.8%#6 · 2025
Burkina Faso24.1m#17 · 20252.21%#26 · 202528.9%#41 · 202586.1#20 · 20244.11#21 · 202431.3#23 · 20247.9#17 · 202441.2%#14 · 2025
Malawi22.2m#18 · 20252.56%#14 · 202517.6%#48 · 2025229.7#10 · 20243.59#38 · 202431.1#24 · 20245.3#45 · 202440.1%#23 · 2025
Zambia21.9m#19 · 20252.77%#11 · 202545.9%#22 · 202528.7#37 · 20244.04#23 · 202432.7#17 · 20245.2#46 · 202441.0%#16 · 2025
Chad21.0m#20 · 20253.41%#1 · 202527.6%#42 · 202516.1#43 · 20246.03#1 · 202443.3#2 · 202411.1#2 · 202446.0%#4 · 2025
Somalia19.7m#21 · 20253.34%#3 · 202555.1%#16 · 202530.3#35 · 20246.01#2 · 202442.3#3 · 20249.7#6 · 202446.6%#2 · 2025
Senegal18.9m#22 · 20252.30%#24 · 202555.8%#14 · 202596.1#19 · 20243.77#30 · 202429.2#33 · 20245.5#43 · 202437.7%#31 · 2025
Zimbabwe17.0m#23 · 20251.88%#39 · 202540.5%#28 · 202543.0#33 · 20243.67#34 · 202429.9#29 · 20247.5#21 · 202440.3%#21 · 2025
Guinea15.1m#24 · 20252.31%#23 · 202538.5%#30 · 202560.0#27 · 20244.13#18 · 202433.3#14 · 20249.0#9 · 202440.5%#17 · 2025
Benin14.8m#25 · 20252.40%#18 · 202553.4%#18 · 2025128.3#14 · 20244.48#12 · 202433.4#12 · 20248.7#11 · 202441.3%#13 · 2025
Rwanda14.6m#26 · 20252.17%#28 · 202530.9%#40 · 2025599.9#2 · 20243.65#35 · 202428.1#37 · 20245.9#38 · 202437.0%#36 · 2025
Burundi14.4m#27 · 20252.41%#16 · 202525.7%#44 · 2025547.0#3 · 20244.79#8 · 202433.2#15 · 20246.7#31 · 202444.0%#9 · 2025
South Sudan12.2m#28 · 20252.03%#35 · 202521.7%#46 · 202518.9#41 · 20243.79#29 · 202429.2#32 · 20249.8#5 · 202438.0%#30 · 2025
Sierra Leone8.8m#29 · 20252.04%#34 · 202545.9%#21 · 2025119.7#15 · 20243.70#32 · 202430.1#27 · 20248.2#15 · 202437.7%#32 · 2025
Togo8.6m#30 · 20252.18%#27 · 202544.4%#27 · 2025154.6#11 · 20244.12#19 · 202432.1#19 · 20248.5#13 · 202440.4%#20 · 2025
Republic of the Congo6.5m#31 · 20252.36%#22 · 202564.1%#8 · 202518.5#42 · 20244.11#22 · 202430.4#26 · 20246.2#34 · 202439.9%#24 · 2025
Liberia5.7m#32 · 20252.09%#31 · 202556.1%#13 · 202558.3#28 · 20243.86#27 · 202430.6#25 · 20248.0#16 · 202439.1%#26 · 2025
Central African Republic5.5m#33 · 20253.37%#2 · 202544.6%#26 · 20258.6#45 · 20245.95#4 · 202446.2#1 · 20249.4#7 · 202448.7%#1 · 2025
Mauritania5.3m#34 · 20252.78%#10 · 202561.5%#11 · 20255.0#46 · 20244.62#10 · 202434.0#11 · 20245.4#44 · 202442.4%#11 · 2025
Eritrea3.6m#35 · 20252.00%#36 · 202534.5%#34 · 202529.3#36 · 20243.68#33 · 202428.7#34 · 20246.0#37 · 202437.6%#33 · 2025
Namibia3.1m#36 · 20252.05%#33 · 202550.9%#19 · 20253.7#48 · 20243.21#40 · 202425.9#41 · 20246.2#36 · 202436.7%#38 · 2025
The Gambia2.8m#37 · 20252.23%#25 · 202565.0%#7 · 2025272.7#5 · 20243.91#26 · 202429.9#30 · 20246.2#33 · 202439.7%#25 · 2025
Gabon2.6m#38 · 20252.11%#30 · 202592.1%#1 · 20259.9#44 · 20243.59#37 · 202427.1#38 · 20246.2#35 · 202436.2%#40 · 2025
Botswana2.6m#39 · 20251.61%#42 · 202568.0%#6 · 20254.4#47 · 20242.70#43 · 202424.4#42 · 20245.7#40 · 202432.0%#44 · 2025
Lesotho2.4m#40 · 20251.10%#45 · 202544.7%#25 · 202577.0#23 · 20242.66#44 · 202423.8#43 · 202410.5#3 · 202434.1%#42 · 2025
Guinea-Bissau2.2m#41 · 20252.16%#29 · 202546.7%#20 · 202578.3#21 · 20243.76#31 · 202429.6#31 · 20247.0#27 · 202438.3%#29 · 2025
Equatorial Guinea1.9m#42 · 20252.40%#20 · 202571.6%#3 · 202567.5#25 · 20244.12#20 · 202430.0#28 · 20247.9#18 · 202437.1%#35 · 2025
Eswatini1.3m#43 · 20251.07%#46 · 202526.7%#43 · 202572.3#24 · 20242.72#42 · 202423.6#44 · 20247.7#19 · 202433.0%#43 · 2025
Mauritius1.2m#44 · 2025-0.16%#48 · 202539.0%#29 · 2025622.9#1 · 20241.44#48 · 202410.3#48 · 202410.0#4 · 202414.5%#48 · 2025
Comoros882,847#45 · 20251.85%#40 · 202533.9%#35 · 2025463.5#4 · 20243.82#28 · 202428.2#35 · 20247.1#24 · 202436.9%#37 · 2025
Cabo Verde527,326#46 · 20250.47%#47 · 202577.6%#2 · 2025130.2#13 · 20241.51#47 · 202412.2#46 · 20245.1#47 · 202424.7%#46 · 2025
São Tomé and Príncipe240,254#47 · 20251.98%#37 · 202569.2%#5 · 2025245.3#9 · 20243.60#36 · 202428.1#36 · 20245.5#42 · 202437.5%#34 · 2025
Seychelles122,730#48 · 20251.13%#44 · 202545.5%#23 · 2025265.5#6 · 20241.85#46 · 202411.0#47 · 20247.0#28 · 202419.8%#47 · 2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)Ranks count group members with a value in the recent window.
within the group

Highest and lowest, indicator by indicator

Population48 countries
  1. 1Nigeria238m2025
  2. 2Ethiopia135m2025
  3. 3Democratic Republic of the Congo113m2025
Lowest
  1. 48Seychelles122,7302025
  2. 47São Tomé and Príncipe240,2542025
  3. 46Cabo Verde527,3262025
Median country 15.0m · group 1.3bn
Population growth48 countries
  1. 1Chad3.41%2025
  2. 2Central African Republic3.37%2025
  3. 3Somalia3.34%2025
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius-0.16%2025
  2. 47Cabo Verde0.47%2025
  3. 46Eswatini1.07%2025
Median country 2.26% · group 2.43%
Urban share48 countries
  1. 1Gabon92.1%2025
  2. 2Cabo Verde77.6%2025
  3. 3Equatorial Guinea71.6%2025
Lowest
  1. 48Malawi17.6%2025
  2. 47Niger18.4%2025
  3. 46South Sudan21.7%2025
Median country 44.9% · group 44.7%
Density48 countries
  1. 1Mauritius622.92024
  2. 2Rwanda599.92024
  3. 3Burundi547.02024
Lowest
  1. 48Namibia3.72024
  2. 47Botswana4.42024
  3. 46Mauritania5.02024
Median country 69.9 · group 52.7
Fertility48 countries
  1. 1Chad6.032024
  2. 2Somalia6.012024
  3. 3Democratic Republic of the Congo5.982024
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius1.442024
  2. 47Cabo Verde1.512024
  3. 46Seychelles1.852024
Median country 3.91 · group 4.26
Birth rate48 countries
  1. 1Central African Republic46.22024
  2. 2Chad43.32024
  3. 3Somalia42.32024
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius10.32024
  2. 47Seychelles11.02024
  3. 46Cabo Verde12.22024
Median country 30.9 · group 32.8
Death rate48 countries
  1. 1Nigeria11.62024
  2. 2Chad11.12024
  3. 3Lesotho10.52024
Lowest
  1. 48Uganda4.82024
  2. 47Cabo Verde5.12024
  3. 46Zambia5.22024
Median country 7.1 · group 8.0
Aged 0–1448 countries
  1. 1Central African Republic48.7%2025
  2. 2Somalia46.6%2025
  3. 3Niger46.2%2025
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius14.5%2025
  2. 47Seychelles19.8%2025
  3. 46Cabo Verde24.7%2025
Median country 39.8% · group 40.4%
Aged 65+48 countries
  1. 1Mauritius14.1%2025
  2. 2Seychelles8.7%2025
  3. 3Cabo Verde7.2%2025
Lowest
  1. 48Zambia2.0%2025
  2. 47Chad2.1%2025
  3. 46Central African Republic2.2%2025
Median country 3.3% · group 3.2%
Dependency ratio48 countries
  1. 1Central African Republic103.6%2025
  2. 2Somalia96.7%2025
  3. 3Democratic Republic of the Congo96.2%2025
Lowest
  1. 48Seychelles39.9%2025
  2. 47Mauritius40.2%2025
  3. 46Cabo Verde46.7%2025
Median country 74.9% · group 78.1%
Net migration48 countries
  1. 1Sudan291,4692025
  2. 2South Africa146,3702025
  3. 3Ethiopia24,0542025
Lowest
  1. 48Chad-123,1042025
  2. 47Uganda-119,0592025
  3. 46Mozambique-65,5732025
Median country -5,646 · group -223,909
Adolescent births48 countries
  1. 1Central African Republic161.32024
  2. 2Equatorial Guinea152.92024
  3. 3Mozambique151.92024
Lowest
  1. 48Mauritius19.22024
  2. 47Rwanda30.62024
  3. 46Cabo Verde37.92024
Median country 86.6 · group 91.9
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