Rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Rural population, per square kilometre was 31.43 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
31.43 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
19th
of 45 groups
All-time high
31.43 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
10.25 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 31.43 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 31.43 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10.25 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 19th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10.25 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 10.5 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 10.75 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 11.02 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 11.3 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 11.58 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 11.88 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 12.19 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 12.5 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 12.81 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 13.14 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 13.45 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 13.79 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 14.14 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 14.5 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 14.86 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 15.22 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 15.62 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 16.05 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 16.47 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 16.91 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 17.4 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 17.86 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 18.32 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 18.76 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 19.21 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 19.66 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 20.1 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 20.53 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 20.99 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 21.46 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 21.94 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 20.43 units per square kilometre | -6.9% |
| 1994 | 20.88 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 21.33 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 21.83 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 22.32 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 22.82 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 23.32 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 23.82 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 24.32 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 24.83 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 25.34 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 25.54 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 26.06 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 26.59 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 27.17 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 27.72 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 28.32 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 28.96 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 29.59 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 25.15 units per square kilometre | -15.0% |
| 2013 | 25.7 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 26.24 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 26.79 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 27.34 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 27.89 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 28.47 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 29.08 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 29.69 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 30.28 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 30.86 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 31.43 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.33 units per square kilometre | 10.25 units per square kilometre | 12.5 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 14.36 units per square kilometre | 12.81 units per square kilometre | 16.05 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.52 units per square kilometre | 16.47 units per square kilometre | 20.53 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.73 units per square kilometre | 20.43 units per square kilometre | 23.32 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.97 units per square kilometre | 23.82 units per square kilometre | 28.32 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.52 units per square kilometre | 25.15 units per square kilometre | 29.59 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.56 units per square kilometre | 29.69 units per square kilometre | 31.43 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 16 Haiti 192.34 units per square kilometre compare
- 17 Malawi 185.85 units per square kilometre compare
- 18 Philippines 172.92 units per square kilometre compare
- 19 Uganda 168.39 units per square kilometre compare
- 20 Antigua and Barbuda 160.23 units per square kilometre compare
- 21 Seychelles 142.95 units per square kilometre compare
- 22 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 135.83 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 209.47 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 483.55 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.8% (2025)
- Rural population 61.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.613 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1542 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 265.55 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Africa Eastern and Southern was 31.43 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 31.43 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.25 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 19th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural 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
Rural 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.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural 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
Rural 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.