Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population was 55.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa is 55.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 85.7% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 55.3%, in 2025.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 85.7% | — |
| 1961 | 85.3% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 84.9% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 84.5% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 84.1% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 83.7% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 83.3% | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 82.9% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 82.4% | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 82.0% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 81.5% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 81.0% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 80.5% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 80.0% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 79.5% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 79.0% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 78.5% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 78.0% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 77.6% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 77.1% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 76.6% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 76.2% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 75.8% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 75.3% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 74.8% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 74.3% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 73.8% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 73.2% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 72.6% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 72.1% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 71.6% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 71.1% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 70.6% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 70.2% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 69.4% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 69.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 68.6% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 68.2% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 67.8% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 67.3% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 66.9% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 66.4% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 65.9% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 65.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 64.9% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 64.4% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 63.9% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 63.4% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 62.9% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 62.5% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 61.6% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 61.1% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 60.6% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 60.2% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 59.7% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 59.2% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 58.7% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 58.3% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 57.8% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 57.4% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 56.8% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 56.4% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 55.9% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 55.3% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.9% | 82.0% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 79.3% | 77.1% | 81.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.5% | 72.1% | 76.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 69.6% | 67.8% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.1% | 62.9% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.4% | 58.3% | 62.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.6% | 55.3% | 57.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 9 Vanuatu 77.7% compare
- 10 Micronesia, Federated States of 77.5% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 75.9% compare
- 12 Antigua and Barbuda 75.7% compare
- 13 Burundi 74.3% compare
- 14 Afghanistan 74.1% compare
- 15 Tajikistan 73.8% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 55.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 85.7% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.3% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for rural population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.