Rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population density was 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011. ▲ Rising
Latest (2011)
355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land
Change on year
up 1.2%
Rank
6th
of 6 groups
All-time high
355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
All-time low
192.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1961
Years of data
51
1961–2011
Rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Measured in rural population per sq. km of arable land.
Analysis
In 2011, rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011 and was at its lowest, 192.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land, in 1961.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | rural population per sq. km of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 192.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 193.98 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 194.28 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 196.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 197.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 200.89 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 203.59 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 205.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 206.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 208.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 211.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 214.02 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 217.98 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 221.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 222.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 226.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 231.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 234.09 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 239.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 245.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 250.2 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 253.82 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 258.29 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 262.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 260.87 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 266.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 272.14 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 276.63 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 281.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 288.17 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 292.36 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 296.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 303.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 310.28 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 314.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 324.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 328.62 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 332.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 336.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 344.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 341.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 349.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 343.98 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 346.93 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 341.45 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 342.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 347.92 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 342.98 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 349.25 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 351.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 199.09 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 192.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 206.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 222.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 208.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 239.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 262.72 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 245.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 281.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 312.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 288.17 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 336.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 345.02 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 341.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 349.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 353.26 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 351.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 3 Egypt 1,624 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 4 Mauritius 959.63 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 5 Burundi 830.23 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 6 Rwanda 725.47 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 7 Sao Tome and Principe 723.5 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 8 Comoros 661.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 654.87 rural population per sq. km of arable land 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 rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Rural population density in Sub-Saharan Africa was 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.
- What is the highest rural population density recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 355.44 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011.
- What is the lowest rural population density recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 192.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for rural population density?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 6th out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
- Is rural population density rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. 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 and World Bank population estimates, published as part of Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.