Urbanization rate in Africa 2000-2025
most urbanized countries in Africa, each exceeding 80 percent. In contrast, around the same share of the population was living in rural areas in Burundi and Niger, which recorded an urbanization rate of only 13 and 17 percent, respectively.
Overall, the degree of urbanization on the continent was lower than the world average, which was set at 56 percent as of 2021. In that year, Africa and Oceania were the continents with the lowest urbanization rate.
The urbanization rate in Africa was projected at nearly 44 percent in 2021. Urbanization on the continent has increased steadily since 2000, when 35 percent of the total population lived in urban areas. This share is expected to increase further in the coming years. However, the proportion of the rural and urban population varies significantly on the continent. In 2019, Gabon and Libya were the Overall, the degree of urbanization on the continent was lower than the world average, which was set at 56 percent as of 2021. In that year, Africa and Oceania were the continents with the lowest urbanization rate.