As of 2023, Eastern Africa was the region with the largest population in Africa, with around 485 million inhabitants. On the contrary, Southern Africa was the least populous area and counted approximately 69 million people. In 2021, the total population of the African continent exceeded 1.36 billion.

As of 2018, more than 60 million people were living in urban areas in East Africa. Ethiopia was the country with the largest urban residents in the region, in terms of absolute numbers, roughly 23 million. In its turn, in Djibouti, 760 thousand people lived in urban areas by the same period. Even though, the country was the most urbanized in East Africa, with a share of 78 percent of urban population, in 2018.

East Africa is one of the fastest urbanizing areas in the whole continent. From 2000 to 2018, urbanization in the region grew by 4.5 percent. Uganda and Burundi had the fastest urban growth rates, at six and 5.7 percent, respectively. In contrast, Djibouti's urban population expanded by 1.6 percent. Even though, the country was still the most urbanized in East Africa, with a share of close to 78 percent of urban population, in 2018.

Abstract

The African and non-African populations were enumerated separately. The census of African population was conducted by Statistics Branch of Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the census of non-African population was conducted by East African Statistical Deptartment of East African Common Services Organization.

Geographic coverage

National

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Roughly two out of ten people in East Africa are expected to live in urban areas in 2020. The region is one of the fastest urbanizing in the continent. In 1960, seven percent of East Africa was urbanized, while it was 24 percent in 2020. In absolute numbers, the number of urban residents jumped from three million to 65 million in the period, and Ethiopia is the country with more residents in urban areas, roughly 23 million.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SPPOPGROWMNA) from 1961 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, population, and rate.

This bar chart displays population (people) by country and is filtered where the region is Eastern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

This horizontal bar chart displays population (people) by country full name using the aggregation sum and is filtered where the region is Eastern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Female: 15 to 19 Years data was reported at 293,279.000 Person in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 292,188.219 Person for 2017. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Female: 15 to 19 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 387,401.110 Person from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2018, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 430,225.713 Person in 2006 and a record low of 292,188.219 Person in 2017. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Female: 15 to 19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics South Africa. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.G004: Population: Mid Year: by Province, Age and Sex.

South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: 20 to 24 Years data was reported at 531,545.000 Person in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 568,062.743 Person for 2017. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: 20 to 24 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 620,146.947 Person from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2018, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 671,734.772 Person in 2009 and a record low of 482,541.064 Person in 2001. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: 20 to 24 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics South Africa. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.G004: Population: Mid Year: by Province, Age and Sex.

Graph and download economic data for Employment to Population Ratio for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SLEMPTOTLSPZSMNA) from 1991 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, employment-population ratio, employment, and population.

South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Male: 40 to 44 Years data was reported at 150,340.000 Person in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 152,422.223 Person for 2017. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Male: 40 to 44 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 132,795.946 Person from Jun 2001 (Median) to 2018, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 152,422.223 Person in 2017 and a record low of 124,165.905 Person in 2009. South Africa Population: Mid Year: Eastern Cape: Male: 40 to 44 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics South Africa. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.G004: Population: Mid Year: by Province, Age and Sex.

This dataset is about countries in Eastern Africa per year, featuring 3 columns: country, date, and population. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

Chart and table of Middle East And North Africa population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

In 2022, the East African countries with the highest share of the population with access to electricity were in Mauritius and the Seychelles, at 100 percent. Comoros followed, with almost 90 percent of residents having a connection to the grid. On the other hand, Burundi and South Sudan had the lowest share with 10.3 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively.

This horizontal bar chart displays female population (people) by ISO 3 country code and is filtered where the region is Eastern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

Registered charity 1126727; registered company limited by guarantee 6611408 (England and Wales)

This map contains estimates for total population by country from 1950 to 2015. Symbology changes slightly when zoomed in to individual continents (1:50,000,000). Source: United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision, File POP/1-1.Estimates are in thousands. Other fields in the Country Population Estimates layer include: Major Region (e.g. Africa), Minor Region (e.g. Eastern Africa), and UN Documentation Notes. The UN Documentation Notes field corresponds to the following notes:(1) Including Agalega, Rodrigues and Saint Brandon.(2) Including Zanzibar.(3) Including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.(4) For statistical purposes, the data for China do not include Hong Kong and Macao, Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of China, and Taiwan Province of China.(5) As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.(6) As of 20 December 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.(7) The regions Southern Asia and Central Asia are combined into South-Central Asia.(8) Including Sabah and Sarawak.(9) Including Nagorno-Karabakh.(10) Refers to the whole country(11) Including Abkhazia and South Ossetia.(12) Including East Jerusalem.(13) Including Transnistria.(14) Including Crimea(15) Refers to Guernsey, and Jersey.(16) Including Åland Islands.(17) Including Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands.(18) Refers to the Vatican City State.(19) Including Kosovo.(20) Including Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.(21) The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.(22) Refers to Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius.(23) Including Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin (French part).(24) Including Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.(25) Including Pitcairn.

This horizontal bar chart displays female population (people) by currency using the aggregation sum and is filtered where the region is Eastern Africa. The data is about countries per year.

This scatter chart displays unemployment (% of total labor force) against female population (people) and is filtered where the region is Eastern Africa. The data is about countries per year.