List of African countries by population
Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:11:17 PM Wikipedia source
This is a list of the current 54 African countries sorted by population, also sorted by normalized demographic projections from the most recently available census or demographic data. Africa is the fastest growing continent in the world, currently increasing by 2 % per year as of 2021. Africa is also the continent with the youngest population, as 60% of Africans are 24 years of age or younger. This list also includes the French department Réunion, and the partially recognized country Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, commonly known as Western Sahara, which is a member of the African Union.
Tables
· Table of African countries by population
1
1
Col 1
1
Country
Nigeria
%
Africa
15 %
Population
227,882,945
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
216,783,400
Official
date
21 Mar 2022
2
2
Col 1
2
Country
Ethiopia
%
Africa
8 %
Population
128,691,692
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
107,334,000
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
3
3
Col 1
3
Country
Egypt
%
Africa
7 %
Population
114,535,772
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
102,060,688
Official
date
1 Jul 2021
4
4
Col 1
4
Country
DR Congo
%
Africa
7 %
Population
105,789,731
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
95,370,000
Official
date
1 Jul 2019
5
5
Col 1
5
Country
Tanzania
%
Africa
4 %
Population
66,617,606
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
61,741,120
Official
date
23 Aug 2022
6
6
Col 1
6
Country
South Africa
%
Africa
4 %
Population
63,212,384
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
59,604,992
Official
date
1 Jul 2022
7
7
Col 1
7
Country
Kenya
%
Africa
3 %
Population
55,339,003
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
51,526,000
Official
date
1 Jan 2023
8
8
Col 1
8
Country
Sudan
%
Africa
3 %
Population
50,042,791
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
41,984,500
Official
date
1 Jul 2018
9
9
Col 1
9
Country
Uganda
%
Africa
3 %
Population
48,656,601
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
45,905,417
Official
date
1 May 2024
10
10
Col 1
10
Country
Algeria
%
Africa
3 %
Population
46,164,219
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
46,300,000
Official
date
1 Jan 2023
11
11
Col 1
11
Country
Morocco
%
Africa
2 %
Population
37,712,505
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
36,828,330
Official
date
1 Sep 2024
12
12
Col 1
12
Country
Angola
%
Africa
2 %
Population
36,749,906
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
38,778,554
Official
date
1 Jan 2026
13
13
Col 1
13
Country
Ghana
%
Africa
2 %
Population
33,787,914
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
30,832,019
Official
date
27 Jun 2021
14
14
Col 1
14
Country
Mozambique
%
Africa
2 %
Population
33,635,160
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
33,244,414
Official
date
1 Mar 2024
15
15
Col 1
15
Country
Madagascar
%
Africa
2 %
Population
31,195,932
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
27,190,927
Official
date
1 Jun 2020
16
16
Col 1
16
Country
Ivory Coast
%
Africa
2 %
Population
31,165,654
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
29,389,150
Official
date
14 Dec 2021
17
17
Col 1
17
Country
Cameroon
%
Africa
1 %
Population
28,372,687
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
24,348,251
Official
date
Jul 1 2019
18
18
Col 1
18
Country
Niger
%
Africa
1 %
Population
26,159,867
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
23,196,000
Official
date
1 Jul 2020
19
19
Col 1
19
Country
Mali
%
Africa
1 %
Population
23,769,127
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
14,528,662
Official
date
4 May 2024
20
20
Col 1
20
Country
Burkina Faso
%
Africa
1 %
Population
23,025,776
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
20,505,155
Official
date
16 Nov 2019
21
21
Col 1
21
Country
Malawi
%
Africa
1 %
Population
21,104,482
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
19,809,511
Official
date
3 Sep 2023
22
22
Col 1
22
Country
Zambia
%
Africa
1 %
Population
20,723,965
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
19,610,769
Official
date
14 Sep 2022
23
23
Col 1
23
Country
Chad
%
Africa
1 %
Population
19,319,064
%
growth
4 %
Official
figure
15,775,400
Official
date
1 Jul 2019
24
24
Col 1
24
Country
Somalia
%
Africa
1 %
Population
18,358,615
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
12,316,895
Official
date
4 May 2024
25
25
Col 1
25
Country
Senegal
%
Africa
1 %
Population
18,077,573
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
18,275,743
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
26
26
Col 1
26
Country
Zimbabwe
%
Africa
1 %
Population
16,340,822
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
15,178,979
Official
date
20 Apr 2022
27
27
Col 1
27
Country
Guinea
%
Africa
1 %
Population
14,405,465
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
13,261,638
Official
date
Jul 1 2022
28
28
Col 1
28
Country
Benin
%
Africa
1 %
Population
14,111,034
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
12,606,998
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
29
29
Col 1
29
Country
Rwanda
%
Africa
1 %
Population
13,954,471
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
13,246,394
Official
date
15 Aug 2022
30
30
Col 1
30
Country
Burundi
%
Africa
0 %
Population
13,689,450
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
13,097,400
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
31
31
Col 1
31
Country
Tunisia
%
Africa
0 %
Population
12,200,431
%
growth
0 %
Official
figure
11,803,588
Official
date
1 Jan 2022
32
32
Col 1
32
Country
South Sudan
%
Africa
0 %
Population
11,483,374
%
growth
4 %
Official
figure
13,249,924
Official
date
1 Jul 2020
33
33
Col 1
33
Country
Togo
%
Africa
0 %
Population
9,304,337
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
8,095,498
Official
date
8 Nov 2022
34
34
Col 1
34
Country
Sierra Leone
%
Africa
0 %
Population
8,460,512
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
7,541,641
Official
date
9 Dec 2021
35
35
Col 1
35
Country
Libya
%
Africa
0 %
Population
7,305,659
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
6,931,061
Official
date
1 Jan 2020
36
36
Col 1
36
Country
Republic of the Congo
%
Africa
0 %
Population
6,182,885
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
3,697,490
Official
date
4 May 2024
37
37
Col 1
37
Country
Liberia
%
Africa
0 %
Population
5,493,031
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
4,844,381
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
38
38
Col 1
38
Country
Central African Republic
%
Africa
0 %
Population
5,152,421
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
6,091,097
Official
date
1 Mar 2021
39
39
Col 1
39
Country
Mauritania
%
Africa
0 %
Population
5,022,441
%
growth
3 %
Official
figure
4,352,037
Official
date
1 Jul 2022
40
40
Col 1
40
Country
Eritrea
%
Africa
0 %
Population
3,470,390
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
3,815,900
Official
date
1 Jul 2012
41
41
Col 1
41
Country
Namibia
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,963,095
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
2,641,857
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
42
42
Col 1
42
Country
Gambia
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,697,845
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
2,417,471
Official
date
1 Jul 2022
43
43
Col 1
43
Country
Gabon
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,484,789
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
2,349,099
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
44
44
Col 1
44
Country
Botswana
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,480,244
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
2,346,179
Official
date
18 Mar 2022
45
45
Col 1
45
Country
Lesotho
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,311,472
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
2,103,600
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
46
46
Col 1
46
Country
Guinea-Bissau
%
Africa
0 %
Population
2,153,339
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
1,781,308
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
47
47
Col 1
47
Country
Equatorial Guinea
%
Africa
0 %
Population
1,847,549
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
1,558,160
Official
date
1 Jul 2022
48
48
Col 1
48
Country
Mauritius
%
Africa
0 %
Population
1,273,588
%
growth
-0 %
Official
figure
1,261,196
Official
date
31 Dec 2022
49
49
Col 1
49
Country
Eswatini
%
Africa
0 %
Population
1,230,506
%
growth
0 %
Official
figure
1,223,362
Official
date
1 Jul 2023
50
50
Col 1
50
Country
Djibouti
%
Africa
0 %
Population
1,152,944
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
1,001,454
Official
date
1 Jul 2021
-
-
Col 1
-
Country
Réunion
%
Africa
0 %
Population
896,175
Official
figure
896,175
Official
date
10 Jan 2024
51
51
Col 1
51
Country
Comoros
%
Africa
0 %
Population
850,387
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
758,316
Official
date
15 Dec 2017
-
-
Col 1
-
Country
Western Sahara (disputed)
%
Africa
0 %
Population
579,729
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
579,000
Official
date
1 Jul 2020
52
52
Col 1
52
Country
Cape Verde
%
Africa
0 %
Population
522,331
%
growth
0 %
Official
figure
483,628
Official
date
16 Jun 2021
53
53
Col 1
53
Country
São Tomé and Príncipe
%
Africa
0 %
Population
230,871
%
growth
2 %
Official
figure
210,200
Official
date
13 May 2020
54
54
Col 1
54
Country
Seychelles
%
Africa
0 %
Population
127,951
%
growth
1 %
Official
figure
100,447
Official
date
22 Apr 2022
| Country | % Africa | Population | % growth | Official figure | Official date | Important notes | |
| 1 | Nigeria | 15 % | 227,882,945 | 2 % | 216,783,400 | 21 Mar 2022 | |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 8 % | 128,691,692 | 2 % | 107,334,000 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 3 | Egypt | 7 % | 114,535,772 | 1 % | 102,060,688 | 1 Jul 2021 | |
| 4 | DR Congo | 7 % | 105,789,731 | 3 % | 95,370,000 | 1 Jul 2019 | |
| 5 | Tanzania | 4 % | 66,617,606 | 2 % | 61,741,120 | 23 Aug 2022 | |
| 6 | South Africa | 4 % | 63,212,384 | 1 % | 59,604,992 | 1 Jul 2022 | |
| 7 | Kenya | 3 % | 55,339,003 | 2 % | 51,526,000 | 1 Jan 2023 | |
| 8 | Sudan | 3 % | 50,042,791 | 1 % | 41,984,500 | 1 Jul 2018 | |
| 9 | Uganda | 3 % | 48,656,601 | 2 % | 45,905,417 | 1 May 2024 | |
| 10 | Algeria | 3 % | 46,164,219 | 1 % | 46,300,000 | 1 Jan 2023 | |
| 11 | Morocco | 2 % | 37,712,505 | 1 % | 36,828,330 | 1 Sep 2024 | |
| 12 | Angola | 2 % | 36,749,906 | 3 % | 38,778,554 | 1 Jan 2026 | |
| 13 | Ghana | 2 % | 33,787,914 | 1 % | 30,832,019 | 27 Jun 2021 | |
| 14 | Mozambique | 2 % | 33,635,160 | 3 % | 33,244,414 | 1 Mar 2024 | |
| 15 | Madagascar | 2 % | 31,195,932 | 2 % | 27,190,927 | 1 Jun 2020 | |
| 16 | Ivory Coast | 2 % | 31,165,654 | 2 % | 29,389,150 | 14 Dec 2021 | |
| 17 | Cameroon | 1 % | 28,372,687 | 2 % | 24,348,251 | Jul 1 2019 | |
| 18 | Niger | 1 % | 26,159,867 | 3 % | 23,196,000 | 1 Jul 2020 | |
| 19 | Mali | 1 % | 23,769,127 | 3 % | 14,528,662 | 4 May 2024 | |
| 20 | Burkina Faso | 1 % | 23,025,776 | 2 % | 20,505,155 | 16 Nov 2019 | |
| 21 | Malawi | 1 % | 21,104,482 | 2 % | 19,809,511 | 3 Sep 2023 | |
| 22 | Zambia | 1 % | 20,723,965 | 2 % | 19,610,769 | 14 Sep 2022 | |
| 23 | Chad | 1 % | 19,319,064 | 4 % | 15,775,400 | 1 Jul 2019 | |
| 24 | Somalia | 1 % | 18,358,615 | 3 % | 12,316,895 | 4 May 2024 | |
| 25 | Senegal | 1 % | 18,077,573 | 2 % | 18,275,743 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 26 | Zimbabwe | 1 % | 16,340,822 | 1 % | 15,178,979 | 20 Apr 2022 | |
| 27 | Guinea | 1 % | 14,405,465 | 2 % | 13,261,638 | Jul 1 2022 | |
| 28 | Benin | 1 % | 14,111,034 | 2 % | 12,606,998 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 29 | Rwanda | 1 % | 13,954,471 | 2 % | 13,246,394 | 15 Aug 2022 | |
| 30 | Burundi | 0 % | 13,689,450 | 2 % | 13,097,400 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 31 | Tunisia | 0 % | 12,200,431 | 0 % | 11,803,588 | 1 Jan 2022 | |
| 32 | South Sudan | 0 % | 11,483,374 | 4 % | 13,249,924 | 1 Jul 2020 | |
| 33 | Togo | 0 % | 9,304,337 | 2 % | 8,095,498 | 8 Nov 2022 | |
| 34 | Sierra Leone | 0 % | 8,460,512 | 2 % | 7,541,641 | 9 Dec 2021 | |
| 35 | Libya | 0 % | 7,305,659 | 1 % | 6,931,061 | 1 Jan 2020 | |
| 36 | Republic of the Congo | 0 % | 6,182,885 | 2 % | 3,697,490 | 4 May 2024 | |
| 37 | Liberia | 0 % | 5,493,031 | 2 % | 4,844,381 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 38 | Central African Republic | 0 % | 5,152,421 | 1 % | 6,091,097 | 1 Mar 2021 | |
| 39 | Mauritania | 0 % | 5,022,441 | 3 % | 4,352,037 | 1 Jul 2022 | |
| 40 | Eritrea | 0 % | 3,470,390 | 1 % | 3,815,900 | 1 Jul 2012 | |
| 41 | Namibia | 0 % | 2,963,095 | 2 % | 2,641,857 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 42 | Gambia | 0 % | 2,697,845 | 2 % | 2,417,471 | 1 Jul 2022 | |
| 43 | Gabon | 0 % | 2,484,789 | 2 % | 2,349,099 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 44 | Botswana | 0 % | 2,480,244 | 1 % | 2,346,179 | 18 Mar 2022 | |
| 45 | Lesotho | 0 % | 2,311,472 | 1 % | 2,103,600 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 0 % | 2,153,339 | 2 % | 1,781,308 | 1 Jul 2023 | |
| 47 | Equatorial Guinea | 0 % | 1,847,549 | 2 % | 1,558,160 | 1 Jul 2022 | |
| 48 | Mauritius | 0 % | 1,273,588 | -0 % | 1,261,196 | 31 Dec 2022 | |
| 49 | Eswatini | 0 % | 1,230,506 | 0 % | 1,223,362 | 1 Jul 2023 |
References
- Figures include the Sinai Peninsula, which is part of Western Asia.
- Includes Somaliland which has a population of about 6 million.
- UNdatahttps://population.un.org/wpp/
- populationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20231205201116/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/MostUsed/
- populationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20200604174948/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
- "Member States"https://web.archive.org/web/20220901043534/https://au.int/en/member_states/countryprofiles2
- City Populationhttps://www.citypopulation.de/en/nigeria/admin/
- Stats Ethiopiahttps://web.archive.org/web/20230824135816/http://www.statsethiopia.gov.et/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Population-of-Zones-and-Weredas-Projected-as-of-July-2023.pdf
- City Populationhttps://www.citypopulation.de/en/egypt/admin/
- inshttps://web.archive.org/web/20230212172734/https://ins.cd/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ANNUAIRE-STATISTIQUE-2020.pdf
- nbshttps://www.nbs.go.tz/nbs/takwimu/Census2022/Administrative_units_Population_Distribution_Report_Tanzania_volume1a.pdf
- statssahttps://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0302/P03022022.pdf
- knbshttps://www.knbs.or.ke/download/2019-kphc-analytical-report-on-population-projections-vol-xvi/
- City Populationhttp://www.citypopulation.de/en/sudan/
- wwwhttps://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/National-Population-and-Housing-Census-2024-Final-Report-Volume-1-Main.pdf
- Office National des Statistiqueshttps://www.ons.dz/spip.php?article3002
- wwwhttps://www.hcp.ma/Population-legale-du-Royaume-du-Maroc-repartie-par-regions-provinces-et-prefectures-et-communes-selon-les-resultats-du_a3974.html
- INE-Instituto Nacional De Estatísticashttps://www.ine.gov.ao/noticias/detalhes/MjgxNTY%3D
- City Populationhttp://www.citypopulation.de/en/ghana/admin/
- wwwhttps://www.ine.gov.mz/