Africa Population (LIVE)

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Africa Population (1950 - 2023)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Subregions in Africa

AreaPopulation (2023)
Eastern Africa(485,066,925)
Western Africa(439,868,541)
Northern Africa(264,205,998)
Middle Africa(202,105,149)
Southern Africa(69,235,158)
  • The current population of Africa is 1,484,874,033 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Africa population is equivalent to 17.89% of the total world population.
  • Africa ranks number among regions of the world (roughly equivalent to "continents"), ordered by population.
  • The population density in Africa is 49 per Km2 (128 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 29,648,481 Km2 (11,447,338 sq. miles)
  • 44.7 % of the population is urban (652,206,412 people in 2023)
  • The median age in Africa is 18.8years.

Population of Africa (2023 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationAfrica's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationAfrica
Rank
2023 1,460,481,772 2.37 % 33,745,467 -535,151 18.8 4.18 49 44.7 % 652,206,412 18.2 % 8,045,311,447
2022 1,426,736,305 2.37 % 33,059,861 -540,455 18.7 4.24 48 44.2 % 630,139,701 17.9 % 7,975,105,156
2021 1,393,676,444 2.43 % 32,999,213 0 0.0 0.00 47 43.7 % 608,654,401 17.6 % 7,909,295,151
2020 1,360,677,231 2.48 % 32,976,068 -202,152 18.6 4.36 46 43.2 % 587,737,793 17.4 % 7,840,952,880
2019 1,327,701,163 2.50 % 32,436,114 -202,152 18.3 4.58 45 42.7 % 567,387,619 17.1 % 7,764,951,032
2018 1,295,265,049 2.53 % 31,931,316 -202,152 18.3 4.58 44 42.3 % 547,602,182 16.9 % 7,683,789,828
2017 1,263,333,733 2.53 % 31,222,130 -202,152 18.3 4.58 43 41.8 % 528,371,323 16.6 % 7,599,822,404
2016 1,232,111,603 2.58 % 31,003,665 -202,152 18.3 4.58 42 41.4 % 509,683,886 16.4 % 7,513,474,238
2015 1,201,107,938 2.62 % 29,174,908 -190,608 18.2 4.63 41 40.9 % 491,531,092 17.2 % 7,426,597,537
2010 1,055,233,397 2.61 % 25,467,059 -769,334 18.0 4.86 36 38.7 % 408,587,045 16.1 % 6,985,603,105
2005 927,898,100 2.53 % 21,789,209 -672,990 17.6 5.00 31 36.8 % 341,033,592 15.1 % 6,558,176,119
2000 818,952,057 2.49 % 18,924,077 -671,250 17.1 5.18 28 34.9 % 285,997,612 14.3 % 6,148,898,975
1995 724,331,670 2.57 % 17,234,887 -398,429 16.7 5.51 24 33.4 % 241,824,184 13.6 % 5,743,219,454
1990 638,157,236 2.81 % 16,500,921 -563,433 16.5 5.91 22 31.4 % 200,111,296 13.1 % 5,316,175,862
1985 555,652,630 2.90 % 14,821,971 -89,319 16.4 6.34 19 28.9 % 160,721,947 12.5 % 4,861,730,613
1980 481,542,773 2.89 % 12,797,229 -442,361 16.4 6.60 16 26.7 % 128,615,954 11.8 % 4,444,007,706
1975 417,556,630 2.70 % 10,421,304 249,941 16.5 6.69 14 24.7 % 103,198,989 11.3 % 4,069,437,231
1970 365,450,108 2.60 % 8,800,624 -144,394 16.7 6.71 12 22.6 % 82,637,370 11.0 % 3,695,390,336
1965 321,446,986 2.49 % 7,431,826 -232,989 17.1 6.71 11 12.9 % 41,419,217 10.6 % 3,337,111,983
1960 284,287,856 2.29 % 6,088,026 -216,054 17.5 6.67 10 18.6 % 53,008,425 10.4 % 3,019,233,434
1955 253,847,728 2.21 % 5,259,694 -231,048 17.9 6.62 9 16.3 % 41,419,217 10.2 % 2,746,072,141
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant). Back to top ↑

Africa Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationAfrica's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationAfrica
Rank
2025 1,530,031,247 2.37 % 33,870,803 -497,114 19.1 4.06 52 45.6 % 698,148,943 19.5 % 8,191,988,453
2030 1,710,666,359 2.26 % 36,127,022 -419,624 19.9 3.78 58 48.2 % 824,013,801 20.9 % 8,546,141,327
2035 1,899,296,806 2.11 % 37,726,089 -396,830 20.8 3.51 64 50.9 % 966,329,885 21.4 % 8,879,397,401
2040 2,093,408,427 1.97 % 38,822,324 -392,656 21.8 3.27 71 53.7 % 1,125,161,515 23.6 % 9,188,250,492
2045 2,289,760,657 1.81 % 39,270,446 -392,293 22.9 3.05 77 56.8 % 1,299,953,249 24.9 % 9,467,543,575
2050 2,485,135,539 1.65 % 39,074,976 -392,141 23.9 2.87 84 59.9 % 1,488,920,045 26.2 % 9,709,491,761
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

The Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Africa (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the region as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the countries within Africa, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Africa's Share of World Pop: Total population as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Africa in the list of all regions worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also