Rural population in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Rural population was 46.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 46.5% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Africa Western and Central peaked at 86.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 46.5%, in 2025.
Africa Western and Central ranks 22nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 86.1% | — |
| 1961 | 85.5% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 85.0% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 84.4% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 83.8% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 83.2% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 82.5% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 81.9% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 81.2% | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 80.6% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 79.9% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 79.2% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 78.5% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 77.8% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 77.1% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 76.4% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 75.7% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 75.0% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 74.3% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 73.7% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 73.0% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 72.4% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 71.7% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 71.1% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 70.5% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 69.9% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 69.3% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 68.7% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 68.1% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 67.5% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 66.9% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 66.2% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 65.7% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 65.1% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 64.6% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 64.0% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 63.5% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 62.9% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 62.3% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 61.7% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 61.1% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 60.5% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 59.9% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 59.3% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 58.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 58.2% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 57.6% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 57.0% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 56.4% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 55.8% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 55.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 54.7% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 54.1% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 53.5% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 53.0% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 52.4% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 51.8% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 51.2% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 50.7% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 50.1% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 49.5% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 48.9% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 47.7% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 47.1% | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 46.5% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.4% | 80.6% | 86.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 76.8% | 73.7% | 79.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.2% | 67.5% | 73.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 64.3% | 61.7% | 66.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.5% | 55.8% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.7% | 50.1% | 55.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.0% | 46.5% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 19 Timor-Leste 71.2% compare
- 20 Burkina Faso 71.1% compare
- 21 Saint Lucia 70.9% compare
- 22 Myanmar 69.4% compare
- 23 Rwanda 69.1% compare
- 24 Solomon Islands 68.7% compare
- 25 Saint Kitts and Nevis 68.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa Western and Central
- Rural population, per capita 0.4652 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 186.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 21.9% (2025)
- Rural population 247.88 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 4.2% (2023)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Africa Western and Central?
- Rural population in Africa Western and Central was 46.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 86.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.5% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for rural population?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.