Africa Population (LIVE)

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Africa Population (1950 - 2019)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Subregions in Africa

AreaPopulation (2020)
Eastern Africa(445,405,606)
Western Africa(401,861,254)
Northern Africa(246,232,518)
Middle Africa(179,595,134)
Southern Africa(67,503,635)
  • The current population of Africa is 1,427,631,556 as of Monday, March 20, 2023, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Africa population is equivalent to 16.72% of the total world population.
  • Africa ranks number 2 among regions of the world (roughly equivalent to "continents"), ordered by population.
  • The population density in Africa is 45 per Km2 (117 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 29,648,481 Km2 (11,447,338 sq. miles)
  • 43.8 % of the population is urban (587,737,793 people in 2019)
  • The median age in Africa is 19.7years.

Population of Africa (2019 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
2020 1,340,598,147 2.54 % 31,631,873 -463,024 19.7 4.44 45 43.8 % 587,737,793 18.2 % 7,794,798,739 2
2019 1,308,064,195 2.52 % 32,143,223 -463,024 19.4 4.67 44 43.4 % 567,387,619 17.0 % 7,713,468,100 2
2018 1,275,920,972 2.55 % 31,698,705 -463,024 19.4 4.67 43 42.9 % 547,602,182 16.7 % 7,631,091,040 2
2017 1,244,222,267 2.57 % 31,181,746 -463,024 19.4 4.67 42 42.5 % 528,371,323 16.5 % 7,547,858,925 2
2016 1,213,040,521 2.59 % 30,601,737 -463,024 19.4 4.67 41 42.0 % 509,683,886 16.3 % 7,464,022,049 2
2015 1,182,438,784 2.61 % 28,626,950 -852,257 19.3 4.73 40 41.6 % 491,531,092 17.0 % 7,379,797,139 2
2010 1,039,304,033 2.55 % 24,629,949 -737,408 19.0 4.90 35 39.3 % 408,587,045 15.9 % 6,956,823,603 2
2005 916,154,288 2.47 % 21,034,012 -501,634 18.7 5.08 31 37.2 % 341,033,592 14.9 % 6,541,907,027 2
2000 810,984,226 2.49 % 18,742,830 -492,899 18.3 5.35 27 35.3 % 285,997,612 14.1 % 6,143,493,823 2
1995 717,270,078 2.62 % 17,384,088 -273,654 18.0 5.72 24 33.7 % 241,824,184 13.5 % 5,744,212,979 3
1990 630,349,639 2.82 % 16,344,698 -356,996 17.6 6.19 21 31.7 % 200,111,296 12.9 % 5,327,231,061 3
1985 548,626,148 2.86 % 14,447,975 -415,790 17.5 6.50 19 29.3 % 160,721,947 12.3 % 4,870,921,740 3
1980 476,386,273 2.81 % 12,342,317 -320,088 17.6 6.64 16 27.0 % 128,615,954 11.7 % 4,458,003,514 3
1975 414,674,688 2.67 % 10,245,434 -384,802 17.7 6.70 14 24.9 % 103,198,989 11.2 % 4,079,480,606 3
1970 363,447,518 2.57 % 8,660,052 -262,524 17.9 6.71 12 22.7 % 82,637,370 10.9 % 3,700,437,046 3
1965 320,147,257 2.47 % 7,357,210 -207,336 18.2 6.70 11 12.9 % 41,419,217 10.5 % 3,339,583,597 3
1960 283,361,209 2.31 % 6,122,461 -147,227 18.7 6.62 10 18.7 % 53,008,425 10.2 % 3,034,949,748 3
1955 252,748,903 2.10 % 4,990,953 -121,937 19.0 6.57 9 16.4 % 41,419,217 10.0 % 2,773,019,936 3
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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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
2020 1,340,598,147 2.54 % 31,631,873 -463,024 19.7 4.44 45 43.8 % 587,737,793 18.2 % 7,794,798,739 2
2025 1,508,935,218 2.39 % 33,667,414 -526,482 20.3 4.48 51 46.3 % 698,148,943 19.4 % 8,184,437,460 2
2030 1,688,321,099 2.27 % 35,877,176 -428,916 21.1 4.53 57 48.8 % 824,013,801 20.6 % 8,548,487,400 2
2035 1,878,193,685 2.15 % 37,974,517 -388,948 22.0 4.57 63 51.4 % 966,329,885 21.1 % 8,887,524,213 2
2040 2,076,749,529 2.03 % 39,711,169 -394,566 22.9 4.61 70 54.2 % 1,125,161,515 23.4 % 9,198,847,240 2
2045 2,281,452,464 1.90 % 40,940,587 -396,090 23.9 4.65 77 57.0 % 1,299,953,249 24.8 % 9,481,803,274 2
2050 2,489,275,458 1.76 % 41,564,599 -396,260 24.8 4.69 84 59.8 % 1,488,920,045 26.3 % 9,735,033,990 2
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 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 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2019. 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 2019 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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 2019: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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