Population of Africa

Source	UN (World Population Prospects 2022)
Date	01 Mar 2024

The current population of Africa is 1,488,575,644 as of April 25, 2024, based on interpolation of the latest United Nations data. As of 1 July 2024, the population of Africa is projected to be around 1.49 billion or 1,495 million or 1,494,993,924 people. The total population in Africa is projected close to 1.46 billion or 1,460 million or 1,460,481,772 people in 2023. Africa had crossed one billion milestones in 2010 and will have close to 4 billion people by the end of the century as per projection.

Africa has been the second-most continent behind Asia since the year 1996 after overtaking Europe. Africa's share of the world population increased from 9.1 percent in 1950 to the current estimate of 18.41 percent in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly 37.92 percent in 2100.

The Eastern Africa region forms the single largest population block in Africa, followed by the Western Africa region. Eastern Africa accounts for about a third of Africa's population, while the Western Africa region accounts for 30% of Africa. These two regions together account for 63% of the continent's population. Eighteen percent of the African population lives in Northern Africa, 14 percent in Middle Africa, and 4.7 percent in Southern Africa.

Africa has been the fastest-growing continent by population since the year 1972. The continent's annual population growth rate is very high, at 2.33 percent in 2024, and is projected to remain above 2 percent for the next 20 years. The population growth reached a peak in 1981, with an annual growth rate of 2.96 %. Middle Africa is the fastest-growing subregion in Africa, with a growth rate of above 3 percent, followed by Eastern Africa and Western Africa. Southern Africa and Northern Africa are the two regions that have a growth rate below 2%. The population of Africa has increased by 557 % since 1950, which is 200% more than the 2nd highest figure in South America at 290 %.

Africa will add 35 million people in 2021, which is near to the population of the 45th ranked Mozambique. The net increase in the per year is projected to peak in 2043, with almost 39.33 million.

Population
Growth rate
Annual Change

Population
Growth rate
Share (%)

African subregions by population

Rank	Subregion	Population				Share (%)		Growth (2024)
		2023		2024		Africa	World	Net change	rate (%)
		1 Jan	1 July	1 Jan	1 July	Africa	World	Net change	rate (%)
1	Eastern Africa	478,953,939	485,066,925	491,179,911	497,385,816	33.27	6.126	12,411,809	2.50
2	Western Africa	434,422,071	439,868,541	445,315,012	450,876,831	30.16	5.553	11,123,639	2.47
3	Northern Africa	262,083,820	264,205,998	266,328,177	268,459,961	17.96	3.307	4,263,569	1.59
4	Middle Africa	199,042,475	202,105,149	205,167,824	208,307,438	13.93	2.566	6,279,227	3.02
5	Southern Africa	68,902,048	69,235,158	69,568,268	69,963,878	4.68	0.862	791,219	1.13
	Africa	1,443,404,353	1,460,481,772	1,477,559,192	1,494,993,924		18.414	34,869,463	2.33

Historical and Projection

Continent	Population				Growth rate (%) against 2021
Continent	1950	2000	2050	2100	1950	2000	2050	2100
Eastern Africa	65,794,236	258,473,864	846,282,904	1,338,985,917	655.97	92.43	70.15	169.20
Western Africa	70,239,992	237,416,079	773,342,802	1,251,489,475	541.91	89.91	71.52	177.57
Northern Africa	50,057,402	172,317,661	373,587,082	482,073,168	436.30	55.79	39.16	79.57
Middle Africa	26,634,416	97,355,936	406,380,251	763,156,297	682.10	113.96	95.09	266.36
Southern Africa	14,823,211	53,388,518	85,542,500	88,715,758	371.99	31.05	22.27	26.80
Africa	227,549,258	818,952,057	2,485,135,539	3,924,420,614	557.00	82.55	66.23	162.50

Africa population projections

Year	Population		Growth		Share (%)
Year	1 Jan	1 July	Net Change	rate (%)	to World
2022	1,410,068,257	1,426,736,305	33,336,096	2.337	17.89
2023	1,443,404,353	1,460,481,772	34,154,839	2.339	18.15
2024	1,477,559,192	1,494,993,924	34,869,463	2.333	18.41
2025	1,512,428,655	1,530,031,247	35,205,184	2.301	18.68
2026	1,547,633,839	1,565,426,616	35,585,554	2.273	18.94
2027	1,583,219,393	1,601,202,762	35,966,738	2.246	19.21
2028	1,619,186,131	1,637,345,106	36,317,950	2.218	19.48
2029	1,655,504,081	1,673,845,126	36,682,090	2.192	19.75
2030	1,692,186,171	1,710,666,359	36,960,375	2.161	20.02
2031	1,729,146,546	1,747,785,516	37,277,941	2.133	20.29
2032	1,766,424,487	1,785,223,387	37,597,799	2.106	20.56
2033	1,804,022,286	1,822,964,745	37,884,917	2.078	20.84
2034	1,841,907,203	1,861,003,225	38,192,044	2.052	21.11
2035	1,880,099,247	1,899,296,806	38,395,118	2.022	21.39
2036	1,918,494,365	1,937,777,711	38,566,692	1.990	21.67
2037	1,957,061,057	1,976,448,546	38,774,977	1.962	21.95
2038	1,995,836,034	2,015,305,954	38,939,840	1.932	22.22
2039	2,034,775,874	2,054,303,343	39,054,938	1.901	22.50
2040	2,073,830,812	2,093,408,427	39,155,230	1.870	22.78
2041	2,112,986,042	2,132,617,527	39,262,970	1.841	23.06
2042	2,152,249,012	2,171,875,609	39,253,193	1.807	23.34
2043	2,191,502,205	2,211,166,983	39,329,556	1.779	23.62
2044	2,230,831,761	2,250,478,962	39,294,401	1.746	23.90
2045	2,270,126,162	2,289,760,657	39,268,989	1.715	24.19
2046	2,309,395,151	2,328,998,686	39,207,071	1.683	24.47
2047	2,348,602,222	2,368,191,007	39,177,570	1.654	24.75
2048	2,387,779,792	2,407,306,427	39,053,269	1.622	25.03
2049	2,426,833,061	2,446,293,956	38,921,789	1.591	25.31
2050	2,465,754,850	2,485,135,539	38,761,378	1.560	25.59
2051	2,504,516,228	2,523,769,525	38,506,594	1.526	25.88
2052	2,543,022,822	2,562,212,475	38,379,305	1.498	26.16
2053	2,581,402,127	2,600,475,601	38,146,949	1.467	26.44
2054	2,619,549,076	2,638,493,882	37,889,611	1.436	26.73
2055	2,657,438,687	2,676,268,187	37,659,000	1.407	27.01
2056	2,695,097,687	2,713,808,602	37,421,830	1.379	27.29
2057	2,732,519,517	2,751,105,347	37,171,660	1.351	27.58
2058	2,769,691,177	2,788,100,678	36,819,002	1.321	27.86
2059	2,806,510,179	2,824,746,220	36,472,082	1.291	28.14
2060	2,842,982,261	2,861,079,511	36,194,500	1.265	28.42
2061	2,879,176,761	2,897,140,195	35,926,867	1.240	28.70
2062	2,915,103,628	2,932,931,499	35,655,743	1.216	28.97
2063	2,950,759,371	2,968,373,604	35,228,467	1.187	29.25
2064	2,985,987,838	3,003,468,334	34,960,991	1.164	29.53
2065	3,020,948,829	3,038,189,396	34,481,133	1.135	29.80
2066	3,055,429,962	3,072,489,966	34,120,008	1.111	30.07
2067	3,089,549,970	3,106,448,544	33,797,148	1.088	30.34
2068	3,123,347,118	3,140,019,266	33,344,297	1.062	30.60
2069	3,156,691,415	3,173,134,557	32,886,284	1.036	30.87
2070	3,189,577,699	3,205,773,359	32,391,320	1.010	31.13
2071	3,221,969,019	3,237,935,473	31,932,909	0.986	31.39
2072	3,253,901,928	3,269,661,930	31,520,005	0.964	31.65
2073	3,285,421,933	3,300,925,347	31,006,828	0.939	31.91
2074	3,316,428,761	3,331,662,177	30,466,831	0.914	32.16
2075	3,346,895,592	3,361,854,381	29,917,578	0.890	32.42
2076	3,376,813,170	3,391,480,493	29,334,646	0.865	32.67
2077	3,406,147,816	3,420,510,775	28,725,918	0.840	32.91
2078	3,434,873,734	3,449,000,022	28,252,576	0.819	33.16
2079	3,463,126,310	3,476,975,700	27,698,779	0.797	33.41
2080	3,490,825,089	3,504,401,640	27,153,101	0.775	33.65
2081	3,517,978,190	3,531,278,214	26,600,048	0.753	33.89
2082	3,544,578,238	3,557,592,404	26,028,331	0.732	34.13
2083	3,570,606,569	3,583,317,421	25,421,704	0.709	34.37
2084	3,596,028,273	3,608,448,708	24,840,869	0.688	34.60
2085	3,620,869,142	3,632,983,263	24,228,242	0.667	34.83
2086	3,645,097,384	3,656,872,629	23,550,491	0.644	35.06
2087	3,668,647,875	3,680,115,945	22,936,140	0.623	35.28
2088	3,691,584,015	3,702,756,286	22,344,541	0.603	35.50
2089	3,713,928,556	3,724,740,394	21,623,676	0.581	35.72
2090	3,735,552,232	3,746,056,451	21,008,438	0.561	35.94
2091	3,756,560,670	3,766,731,760	20,342,180	0.540	36.15
2092	3,776,902,850	3,786,782,004	19,758,307	0.522	36.36
2093	3,796,661,157	3,806,216,486	19,110,658	0.502	36.56
2094	3,815,771,815	3,825,036,829	18,530,029	0.484	36.77
2095	3,834,301,844	3,843,212,997	17,822,306	0.464	36.97
2096	3,852,124,150	3,860,723,993	17,199,685	0.446	37.16
2097	3,869,323,835	3,877,576,535	16,505,399	0.426	37.36
2098	3,885,829,234	3,893,797,579	15,936,690	0.409	37.55
2099	3,901,765,924	3,909,421,429	15,311,010	0.392	37.73
2100	3,917,076,934	3,924,420,614	14,687,360	0.374	37.92

Africa population estimates

Year	Population		Growth		Share (%)
Year	1 Jan	1 July	Net Change	rate (%)	to World
1950	225,120,311	227,549,258	4,857,894	2.135	9.10
1951	229,978,205	232,483,995	5,011,579	2.156	9.14
1952	234,989,784	237,586,060	5,192,552	2.186	9.17
1953	240,182,336	242,837,448	5,310,223	2.187	9.20
1954	245,492,559	248,244,771	5,504,423	2.217	9.22
1955	250,996,982	253,847,728	5,701,491	2.246	9.24
1956	256,698,473	259,631,382	5,865,818	2.259	9.27
1957	262,564,291	265,515,232	5,901,882	2.223	9.29
1958	268,466,173	271,429,557	5,926,769	2.184	9.31
1959	274,392,942	277,648,187	6,510,489	2.345	9.35
1960	280,903,431	284,287,856	6,768,849	2.381	9.42
1961	287,672,280	291,177,557	7,010,554	2.408	9.49
1962	294,682,834	298,334,053	7,302,439	2.448	9.54
1963	301,985,273	305,755,225	7,539,904	2.466	9.57
1964	309,525,177	313,465,702	7,881,049	2.514	9.59
1965	317,406,226	321,446,986	8,081,519	2.514	9.63
1966	325,487,745	329,658,041	8,340,593	2.530	9.68
1967	333,828,338	338,159,594	8,662,512	2.562	9.73
1968	342,490,850	346,980,009	8,978,319	2.588	9.78
1969	351,469,169	356,070,247	9,202,155	2.585	9.83
1970	360,671,324	365,450,108	9,557,568	2.615	9.89
1971	370,228,892	375,085,855	9,713,925	2.590	9.95
1972	379,942,817	384,930,392	9,975,149	2.592	10.01
1973	389,917,966	395,212,021	10,588,110	2.679	10.08
1974	400,506,076	406,068,836	11,125,521	2.740	10.16
1975	411,631,597	417,556,630	11,850,066	2.838	10.26
1976	423,481,663	429,572,939	12,182,552	2.836	10.37
1977	435,664,215	441,701,411	12,074,392	2.734	10.48
1978	447,738,607	454,462,679	13,448,144	2.959	10.59
1979	461,186,751	467,975,884	13,578,267	2.902	10.72
1980	474,765,018	481,542,773	13,555,510	2.815	10.84
1981	488,320,528	495,655,336	14,669,616	2.960	10.95
1982	502,990,144	510,540,229	15,100,169	2.958	11.08
1983	518,090,313	525,335,031	14,489,436	2.758	11.20
1984	532,579,749	540,182,783	15,206,068	2.815	11.31
1985	547,785,817	555,652,630	15,733,627	2.832	11.43
1986	563,519,444	571,646,426	16,253,963	2.844	11.55
1987	579,773,407	588,079,706	16,612,598	2.825	11.67
1988	596,386,005	604,511,226	16,250,443	2.688	11.78
1989	612,636,448	621,167,635	17,062,374	2.747	11.89
1990	629,698,822	638,157,236	16,916,829	2.651	12.00
1991	646,615,651	655,040,493	16,849,683	2.572	12.12
1992	663,465,334	671,931,548	16,932,428	2.520	12.23
1993	680,397,762	689,139,958	17,484,393	2.537	12.36
1994	697,882,155	706,488,294	17,212,278	2.436	12.48
1995	715,094,433	724,331,670	18,474,474	2.551	12.61
1996	733,568,907	742,764,748	18,391,682	2.476	12.75
1997	751,960,589	761,224,444	18,527,710	2.434	12.89
1998	770,488,299	779,908,035	18,839,472	2.416	13.03
1999	789,327,771	799,099,340	19,543,137	2.446	13.17
2000	808,870,908	818,952,057	20,162,298	2.462	13.32
2001	829,033,206	839,463,871	20,861,330	2.485	13.47
2002	849,894,536	860,611,461	21,433,851	2.491	13.63
2003	871,328,387	882,349,262	22,041,751	2.498	13.80
2004	893,370,138	904,781,335	22,822,394	2.523	13.97
2005	916,192,532	927,898,100	23,411,137	2.523	14.15
2006	939,603,669	951,740,272	24,273,205	2.551	14.33
2007	963,876,874	976,461,444	25,169,139	2.578	14.52
2008	989,046,013	1,001,981,281	25,870,536	2.582	14.71
2009	1,014,916,549	1,028,200,282	26,567,465	2.584	14.91
2010	1,041,484,014	1,055,233,397	27,498,766	2.606	15.11
2011	1,068,982,780	1,082,675,800	27,386,041	2.530	15.31
2012	1,096,368,821	1,110,797,234	28,856,826	2.598	15.51
2013	1,125,225,647	1,140,180,580	29,909,866	2.623	15.73
2014	1,155,135,513	1,170,299,023	30,327,021	2.592	15.95
2015	1,185,462,534	1,201,107,938	31,290,809	2.605	16.17
2016	1,216,753,343	1,232,111,603	30,716,521	2.493	16.40
2017	1,247,469,864	1,263,333,733	31,727,738	2.512	16.62
2018	1,279,197,602	1,295,265,049	32,134,894	2.481	16.86
2019	1,311,332,496	1,327,701,163	32,737,334	2.466	17.10
2020	1,344,069,830	1,360,677,231	33,214,801	2.441	17.35
2021	1,377,284,631	1,393,676,444	32,783,626	2.352	17.62