Rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population, annual growth rate was 1.53 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.53 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.3%
Rank
8th
of 45 groups
All-time high
2.53 % change on previous year
in 1982
All-time low
1.53 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 1.53 % change on previous year for rural population, annual growth rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 2.53 % change on previous year in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1.53 % change on previous year, in 2025.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.01 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 2.03 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 2.07 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 2.08 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 2.12 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 2.14 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 2.15 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.13 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 2.09 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 2.14 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 2.21 % change on previous year | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 2.21 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2.21 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 2.18 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 2.33 % change on previous year | +7.0% |
| 1979 | 2.45 % change on previous year | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 2.35 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1981 | 2.43 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 2.53 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 2.38 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 2.23 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 1985 | 2.23 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 2.21 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 2.14 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 2.1 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 2.08 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 2 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1992 | 2.13 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 2.19 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.06 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 1995 | 2.08 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 2.17 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 2.09 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 2.06 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 2.05 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 2.02 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 2 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.99 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 1.97 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 1.95 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 1.96 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 1.95 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 1.97 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 2.05 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 2.07 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 2.05 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.03 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 2.01 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.94 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 1.91 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 1.89 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 1.85 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 1.85 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.85 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 1.71 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 1.61 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 1.62 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 1.55 % change on previous year | -4.7% |
| 2025 | 1.53 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.07 % change on previous year | 2.01 % change on previous year | 2.14 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.21 % change on previous year | 2.09 % change on previous year | 2.45 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.27 % change on previous year | 2.07 % change on previous year | 2.53 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.09 % change on previous year | 2 % change on previous year | 2.19 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.99 % change on previous year | 1.95 % change on previous year | 2.05 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.95 % change on previous year | 1.85 % change on previous year | 2.07 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.63 % change on previous year | 1.53 % change on previous year | 1.8 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 5 Georgia 2.97 % change on previous year compare
- 6 Niger 2.87 % change on previous year compare
- 7 Ukraine 2.74 % change on previous year compare
- 8 Central African Republic 2.63 % change on previous year compare
- 9 Chad 2.57 % change on previous year compare
- 10 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.57 % change on previous year compare
- 11 Yemen 2.57 % change on previous year compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.53 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.53 % change on previous year in 1982.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization 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
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.