Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population was 731.42 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 731.42 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 731.42 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 195.05 million, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 195.05 million | — |
| 1961 | 198.96 million | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 203.01 million | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 207.16 million | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 211.45 million | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 215.85 million | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 220.32 million | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 224.91 million | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 229.68 million | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 234.59 million | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 239.65 million | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 244.75 million | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 249.87 million | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 255.22 million | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 260.86 million | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 266.62 million | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 272.53 million | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 278.46 million | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 284.95 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 291.93 million | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 298.79 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 306.05 million | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 313.80 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 321.26 million | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 328.43 million | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 335.74 million | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 343.16 million | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 350.50 million | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 357.88 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 365.27 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 372.88 million | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 380.36 million | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 388.44 million | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 396.94 million | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 405.11 million | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 413.55 million | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 422.54 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 431.38 million | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 440.29 million | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 449.33 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 458.43 million | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 467.60 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 476.91 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 486.30 million | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 495.80 million | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 505.53 million | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 515.40 million | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 525.97 million | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 536.31 million | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 547.28 million | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 558.62 million | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 570.07 million | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 581.64 million | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 593.34 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 604.87 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 616.46 million | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 628.11 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 639.75 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 651.58 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 663.65 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 675.57 million | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 687.11 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 698.15 million | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 709.47 million | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 720.44 million | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 731.42 million | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 214.10 million | 195.05 million | 234.59 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 264.48 million | 239.65 million | 291.93 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 332.09 million | 298.79 million | 365.27 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 410.08 million | 372.88 million | 449.33 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 501.55 million | 458.43 million | 547.28 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 610.81 million | 558.62 million | 663.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 703.69 million | 675.57 million | 731.42 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % 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)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 731.42 million 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 731.42 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 195.05 million in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for rural population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 18th 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 up 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.