Non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Non-agricultural population was 411.03 million FAO, number in 2012. ▲ Rising
Latest (2012)
411.03 million FAO, number
Change on year
up 3.6%
Rank
2nd
of 6 groups
All-time high
411.03 million FAO, number
in 2012
All-time low
116.55 million FAO, number
in 1980
Years of data
33
1980–2012
Non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2012
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in FAO, number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa is 411.03 million FAO, number, measured in 2012. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 44.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 411.03 million FAO, number in 2012 and was at its lowest, 116.55 million FAO, number, in 1980.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | FAO, number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 116.55 million FAO, number | — |
| 1981 | 121.81 million FAO, number | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 127.20 million FAO, number | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 132.73 million FAO, number | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 138.44 million FAO, number | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 144.28 million FAO, number | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 150.30 million FAO, number | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 156.52 million FAO, number | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 162.95 million FAO, number | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 169.62 million FAO, number | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 176.57 million FAO, number | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 184.31 million FAO, number | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 192.44 million FAO, number | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 200.80 million FAO, number | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 209.36 million FAO, number | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 218.05 million FAO, number | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 226.88 million FAO, number | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 235.90 million FAO, number | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 245.10 million FAO, number | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 254.60 million FAO, number | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 264.45 million FAO, number | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 274.67 million FAO, number | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 285.26 million FAO, number | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 296.15 million FAO, number | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 307.37 million FAO, number | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 318.94 million FAO, number | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 330.84 million FAO, number | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 343.28 million FAO, number | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 355.99 million FAO, number | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 369.11 million FAO, number | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 382.65 million FAO, number | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 396.61 million FAO, number | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 411.03 million FAO, number | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 142.04 million FAO, number | 116.55 million FAO, number | 169.62 million FAO, number | 10 |
| 1990s | 214.40 million FAO, number | 176.57 million FAO, number | 254.60 million FAO, number | 10 |
| 2000s | 314.60 million FAO, number | 264.45 million FAO, number | 369.11 million FAO, number | 10 |
| 2010s | 396.76 million FAO, number | 382.65 million FAO, number | 411.03 million FAO, number | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Nigeria 127.65 million FAO, number compare
- 2 Egypt 61.63 million FAO, number compare
- 3 South Africa 46.12 million FAO, number compare
- 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 30.45 million FAO, number compare
- 5 Algeria 29.13 million FAO, number compare
More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.223 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Capture fisheries production 8.80 million metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.96 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Waste 13.02 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Aquaculture production 904,662 metric tons (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Non-agricultural population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 411.03 million FAO, number in 2012, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest non-agricultural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 411.03 million FAO, number in 2012.
- What is the lowest non-agricultural population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 116.55 million FAO, number in 1980.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for non-agricultural population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2012.
- Is non-agricultural population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Non-agricultural population (FAO, number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The non-agricultural population is obtained as a residual of agricultural population from the total population.