Africa Population & Countries
Updated April 2026 · World Bank country indicators · 54 countries
Africa is the world's second-largest continent and home to 54 sovereign countries. Its population — roughly 1.5 billion in 2026 — is the youngest of any continent, with a median age below 20 years in many nations. Africa's population is projected to roughly double by 2050, accounting for almost all of the world's remaining demographic growth this century.
1,478,961,489
Total population
54
Countries
127
People / sq mi
65.4
Avg life expectancy
Quick facts
- Most populous country: 🇳🇬 Nigeria (227,882,945)
- Fastest-growing country: 🇹🇩 Chad (+4.57%/yr)
- Highest GDP per capita: 🇸🇨 Seychelles ($18,263)
- Longest-living population: 🇹🇳 Tunisia (76.5 years)
- Average GDP per capita: $2,024
- Average fertility rate: 3.86 births per woman
- Average urban population: 47.8%
All countries in Africa by population
| # | Country | Population | Growth | Life exp. | GDP / capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇳🇬Nigeria | 227,882,945 | +2.10% | 54.5 | $2,139 |
| 2 | 🇪🇹Ethiopia | 128,691,692 | +2.60% | 67.3 | $1,056 |
| 3 | 🇪🇬Egypt, Arab Rep. | 114,535,772 | +1.69% | 71.6 | $3,457 |
| 4 | 🇨🇩Congo, Dem. Rep. | 105,789,731 | +3.26% | 61.9 | $660 |
| 5 | 🇹🇿Tanzania | 66,617,606 | +2.90% | 67.0 | $1,224 |
| 6 | 🇿🇦South Africa | 63,212,384 | +1.33% | 66.1 | $6,034 |
| 7 | 🇰🇪Kenya | 55,339,003 | +1.98% | 63.6 | $1,943 |
| 8 | 🇸🇩Sudan | 50,042,791 | +1.33% | 66.3 | $797 |
| 9 | 🇺🇬Uganda | 48,656,601 | +2.80% | 68.3 | $1,002 |
| 10 | 🇩🇿Algeria | 46,164,219 | +1.50% | 76.3 | $5,370 |
| 11 | 🇲🇦Morocco | 37,712,505 | +1.02% | 75.3 | $3,814 |
| 12 | 🇦🇴Angola | 36,749,906 | +3.08% | 64.6 | $2,916 |
| 13 | 🇬🇭Ghana | 33,787,914 | +1.91% | 65.5 | $2,384 |
| 14 | 🇲🇿Mozambique | 33,635,160 | +2.95% | 63.6 | $622 |
| 15 | 🇲🇬Madagascar | 31,195,932 | +2.46% | 63.6 | $509 |
| 16 | 🇨🇮Cote d'Ivoire | 31,165,654 | +2.50% | 61.9 | $2,592 |
| 17 | 🇨🇲Cameroon | 28,372,687 | +2.64% | 63.7 | $1,720 |
| 18 | 🇳🇪Niger | 26,159,867 | +3.29% | 61.2 | $638 |
| 19 | 🇲🇱Mali | 23,769,127 | +2.97% | 60.4 | $1,044 |
| 20 | 🇧🇫Burkina Faso | 23,025,776 | +2.27% | 61.1 | $873 |
| 21 | 🇲🇼Malawi | 21,104,482 | +2.57% | 67.4 | $633 |
| 22 | 🇿🇲Zambia | 20,723,965 | +2.79% | 66.3 | $1,331 |
| 23 | 🇹🇩Chad | 19,319,064 | +4.57% | 55.1 | $949 |
| 24 | 🇸🇴Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 18,358,615 | +3.08% | 58.8 | $597 |
| 25 | 🇸🇳Senegal | 18,077,573 | +2.39% | 68.7 | $1,698 |
| 26 | 🇿🇼Zimbabwe | 16,340,822 | +1.68% | 62.8 | $2,195 |
| 27 | 🇬🇳Guinea | 14,405,468 | +2.46% | 60.7 | $1,555 |
| 28 | 🇧🇯Benin | 14,111,034 | +2.52% | 60.8 | $1,394 |
| 29 | 🇷🇼Rwanda | 13,954,471 | +2.20% | 67.8 | $1,027 |
| 30 | 🇧🇮Burundi | 13,689,450 | +2.73% | 63.7 | $251 |
| 31 | 🇹🇳Tunisia | 12,200,431 | +0.67% | 76.5 | $3,951 |
| 32 | 🇸🇸South Sudan | 11,483,374 | +4.11% | 57.6 | - |
| 33 | 🇹🇬Togo | 9,304,337 | +2.33% | 62.7 | $1,055 |
| 34 | 🇸🇱Sierra Leone | 8,460,512 | +2.20% | 61.8 | $758 |
| 35 | 🇱🇾Libya | 7,305,659 | +1.13% | 69.3 | $6,027 |
| 36 | 🇨🇬Congo, Rep. | 6,182,885 | +2.42% | 65.8 | $2,478 |
| 37 | 🇱🇷Liberia | 5,493,031 | +2.20% | 62.2 | $799 |
| 38 | 🇨🇫Central African Republic | 5,152,421 | +1.06% | 57.4 | $496 |
| 39 | 🇲🇷Mauritania | 5,022,441 | +2.97% | 68.5 | $2,136 |
| 40 | 🇪🇷Eritrea | 3,470,390 | +1.77% | 68.6 | - |
| 41 | 🇳🇦Namibia | 2,963,095 | +2.51% | 67.4 | $4,188 |
| 42 | 🇬🇲Gambia, The | 2,697,845 | +2.30% | 65.9 | $883 |
| 43 | 🇬🇦Gabon | 2,484,789 | +2.20% | 68.3 | $7,803 |
| 44 | 🇧🇼Botswana | 2,480,244 | +1.64% | 69.2 | $7,826 |
| 45 | 🇱🇸Lesotho | 2,311,472 | +1.10% | 57.4 | $916 |
| 46 | 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau | 2,153,339 | +2.25% | 64.1 | $988 |
| 47 | 🇬🇶Equatorial Guinea | 1,847,549 | +2.41% | 63.7 | $6,678 |
| 48 | 🇲🇺Mauritius | 1,248,647 | -1.11% | 73.4 | $11,270 |
| 49 | 🇸🇿Eswatini | 1,230,506 | +0.95% | 64.1 | $3,756 |
| 50 | 🇩🇯Djibouti | 1,152,944 | +1.38% | 66.0 | $3,381 |
| 51 | 🇰🇲Comoros | 850,387 | +1.92% | 66.8 | $1,560 |
| 52 | 🇨🇻Cabo Verde | 522,331 | +0.50% | 76.1 | $4,795 |
| 53 | 🇸🇹Sao Tome and Principe | 230,871 | +2.00% | 69.7 | $2,991 |
| 54 | 🇸🇨Seychelles | 119,773 | -0.09% | 75.4 | $18,263 |
Other continents
Frequently Asked Questions
Africa has a total population of approximately 1,478,961,489 people across 54 sovereign countries, with Nigeria as the most populous nation at 227,882,945. Source: World Bank country population data.
Africa has 54 sovereign countries listed in our dataset (sourced from World Bank country indicators). Boundary definitions follow the standard 6-continent model — see methodology for how Eurasia and the Caribbean are split.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of 227,882,945. Its GDP per capita is $2,139.
Chad has the fastest annual population growth rate in Africa at 4.57% per year.
Tunisia has the highest life expectancy in Africa at 76.5 years.
Continent boundaries follow the 6-continent model. Country totals are sourced from World Bank Open Data.