Urbanization rate in Africa 2000-2023

The urbanization rate in Africa was estimated at nearly 45 percent in 2023. Urbanization on the continent has increased steadily since 2000, when close to 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 2023, Gabon and Libya were the most urbanized countries in Africa, each exceeding 80 percent. In contrast, Burundi and Niger registered the lowest urbanization rates, which recorded only 13 and 17 percent of their populations living in urban areas, respectively. 

Overall, the degree of urbanization on the continent was lower than the world average, which was set at 57 percent as of 2023. In that year, Africa and Asia were the continents with the lowest urbanization rate.