Sub-Saharan Africa Rural Population 1960-2024

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.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa rural population for 2023 was 708,996,518, a 1.57% increase from 2022.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa rural population for 2022 was 698,029,429, a 1.59% increase from 2021.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa rural population for 2021 was 687,081,900, a 1.66% increase from 2020.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa rural population for 2020 was 675,878,605, a 1.73% increase from 2019.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Rural Population
World 3,422,928,507
South Asia 1,234,617,651
East Asia & Pacific 881,128,740
Sub-Saharan Africa 708,996,518
OECD members 253,665,277
Latin America & Caribbean 120,415,677
European Union 109,165,675
Euro Area 77,195,067
North America 63,210,418
Sub-Saharan Africa Rural Population - Historical Data
Year Population % of Total Change
2023 708,996,518 57.09 1.57%
2022 698,029,429 57.63 1.59%
2021 687,081,900 58.17 1.66%
2020 675,878,605 58.71 1.73%
2019 664,413,702 59.24 1.75%
2018 652,989,444 59.78 1.77%
2017 641,659,037 60.31 1.79%
2016 630,387,938 60.84 1.84%
2015 619,025,143 61.37 1.87%
2014 607,659,898 61.91 1.90%
2013 596,344,492 62.44 1.93%
2012 585,026,034 62.95 1.94%
2011 573,884,449 63.46 1.94%
2010 562,936,794 63.98 1.97%
2009 552,049,454 64.50 1.99%
2008 541,286,806 65.01 2.00%
2007 530,654,908 65.51 2.13%
2006 519,576,018 65.93 2.05%
2005 509,153,505 66.38 2.03%
2004 499,024,159 66.84 2.04%
2003 489,041,861 67.29 2.03%
2002 479,301,951 67.73 2.03%
2001 469,761,538 68.16 2.04%
2000 460,387,943 68.59 2.11%
1999 450,868,516 68.95 2.08%
1998 441,672,847 69.31 2.06%
1997 432,754,928 69.68 2.10%
1996 423,837,310 70.03 2.20%
1995 414,713,987 70.37 2.08%
1994 406,251,330 70.76 2.01%
1993 398,247,970 71.19 2.05%
1992 390,260,454 71.62 2.06%
1991 382,381,671 72.05 2.10%
1990 374,500,375 72.49 2.03%
1989 367,037,216 73.04 2.03%
1988 359,732,996 73.60 2.06%
1987 352,485,778 74.17 2.14%
1986 345,105,200 74.74 2.12%
1985 337,937,894 75.31 2.13%
1984 330,895,145 75.85 2.14%
1983 323,964,918 76.34 2.29%
1982 316,698,291 76.79 2.49%
1981 309,006,244 77.20 2.40%
1980 301,774,783 77.62 2.41%
1979 294,683,156 78.00 2.51%
1978 287,480,232 78.40 2.36%
1977 280,857,627 78.84 2.27%
1976 274,631,332 79.27 2.30%
1975 268,467,994 79.70 2.31%
1974 262,408,331 80.13 2.29%
1973 256,537,943 80.55 2.19%
1972 251,029,064 80.99 2.15%
1971 245,748,331 81.42 2.19%
1970 240,492,951 81.83 2.21%
1969 235,286,327 82.21 2.18%
1968 230,277,099 82.60 2.17%
1967 225,390,077 82.98 2.14%
1966 220,662,108 83.35 2.14%
1965 216,030,351 83.71 2.15%
1964 211,490,487 84.07 2.13%
1963 207,080,001 84.42 2.11%
1962 202,802,005 84.75 2.10%
1961 198,624,301 85.07 2.06%
1960 194,613,131 85.38 %