Agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Agricultural population was 485.81 million FAO, number in 2012. ▲ Rising

Latest (2012)
485.81 million FAO, number
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
3rd
of 6 groups
All-time high
485.81 million FAO, number
in 2012
All-time low
272.17 million FAO, number
in 1980
Years of data
33
1980–2012

Agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1980–2012

0100.0M200.0M300.0M400.0M500.0M1980199620121980: 272.2M FAO, number1981: 278.1M FAO, number1982: 284.1M FAO, number1983: 290.4M FAO, number1984: 296.8M FAO, number1985: 303.3M FAO, number1986: 310.0M FAO, number1987: 316.7M FAO, number1988: 323.6M FAO, number1989: 330.5M FAO, number1990: 337.5M FAO, number1991: 344.0M FAO, number1992: 350.4M FAO, number1993: 356.9M FAO, number1994: 363.4M FAO, number1995: 369.9M FAO, number1996: 376.4M FAO, number1997: 382.9M FAO, number1998: 389.5M FAO, number1999: 396.1M FAO, number2000: 402.7M FAO, number2001: 409.3M FAO, number2002: 416.0M FAO, number2003: 422.7M FAO, number2004: 429.5M FAO, number2005: 436.4M FAO, number2006: 443.3M FAO, number2007: 450.1M FAO, number2008: 457.1M FAO, number2009: 464.1M FAO, number2010: 471.3M FAO, number2011: 478.5M FAO, number2012: 485.8M FAO, number

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in FAO, number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 485.81 million FAO, number, measured in 2012. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 485.81 million FAO, number in 2012 and was at its lowest, 272.17 million FAO, number, in 1980.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Agricultural population (FAO, number) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1980 to 2012.
Year FAO, number Change
1980 272.17 million FAO, number
1981 278.06 million FAO, number +2.2%
1982 284.14 million FAO, number +2.2%
1983 290.39 million FAO, number +2.2%
1984 296.76 million FAO, number +2.2%
1985 303.31 million FAO, number +2.2%
1986 309.97 million FAO, number +2.2%
1987 316.73 million FAO, number +2.2%
1988 323.59 million FAO, number +2.2%
1989 330.52 million FAO, number +2.1%
1990 337.48 million FAO, number +2.1%
1991 343.98 million FAO, number +1.9%
1992 350.41 million FAO, number +1.9%
1993 356.88 million FAO, number +1.8%
1994 363.36 million FAO, number +1.8%
1995 369.88 million FAO, number +1.8%
1996 376.42 million FAO, number +1.8%
1997 382.93 million FAO, number +1.7%
1998 389.51 million FAO, number +1.7%
1999 396.09 million FAO, number +1.7%
2000 402.69 million FAO, number +1.7%
2001 409.32 million FAO, number +1.6%
2002 415.97 million FAO, number +1.6%
2003 422.71 million FAO, number +1.6%
2004 429.53 million FAO, number +1.6%
2005 436.39 million FAO, number +1.6%
2006 443.31 million FAO, number +1.6%
2007 450.11 million FAO, number +1.5%
2008 457.09 million FAO, number +1.6%
2009 464.15 million FAO, number +1.5%
2010 471.29 million FAO, number +1.5%
2011 478.52 million FAO, number +1.5%
2012 485.81 million FAO, number +1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 300.56 million FAO, number 272.17 million FAO, number 330.52 million FAO, number 10
1990s 366.69 million FAO, number 337.48 million FAO, number 396.09 million FAO, number 10
2000s 433.13 million FAO, number 402.69 million FAO, number 464.15 million FAO, number 10
2010s 478.54 million FAO, number 471.29 million FAO, number 485.81 million FAO, number 3

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

  1. 1 Ethiopia 65.98 million FAO, number compare
  2. 2 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 39.12 million FAO, number compare
  3. 3 Nigeria 38.98 million FAO, number compare
  4. 4 Tanzania, United Republic of 34.40 million FAO, number compare
  5. 5 Kenya 29.74 million FAO, number compare
  6. 6 Uganda 25.73 million FAO, number compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
Agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 485.81 million FAO, number in 2012, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
What is the highest agricultural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 485.81 million FAO, number in 2012.
What is the lowest agricultural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 272.17 million FAO, number in 1980.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for agricultural population?
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 3rd out of 6 groups with data for 2012.
Is agricultural population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Agricultural population (FAO, number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/agricultural-population-fao-number/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Agricultural population (FAO, number)
Unit
FAO, number
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 1,934 data points, 1980–2012
Last refreshed

The Agricultural Population is defined as all persons depending for their livelihood on agriculture, hunting, fishing or forestry. This estimate comprises all persons actively engaged in agriculture and their non-working dependants. The Agricultural Population series are estimated by FAO based on the total population series obtained from UN Population Division ("World population prospects: The 2008 Revision") and the ratios of labour force in total population and agricultural labour force in total labour force from ILO: ("Economically active population, 1950-2010: The 4th Revision", ILO, Geneva, 1996). Direct information on agricultural population derived from national population censuses or surveys is scarce.