Africa has the youngest population in the world. Among the 35 countries with the lowest median age worldwide, only three fall outside the continent. In 2023, the median age in Niger was 15.1 years, the youngest country. This means that at this age point, half of the population was younger and half older. A young population reflects several demographic characteristics of a country. For instance, together with a high population growth, life expectancy in Western Africa is low: this reached 58 years for men and 60 for women in 2024. Overall, Africa has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Africa’s population is still growing Africa’s population growth can be linked to a high fertility rate, along with a drop in death rates. Despite the fertility rate on the continent following a constant declining trend, it remains far higher compared to all other regions worldwide. It was forecast to reach 4.02 children per woman, compared to a worldwide average of 2.25 children per woman in 2024. Furthermore, the crude death rate in Africa overall dropped, only increasing slightly during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The largest populations on the continent Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most populous African countries. In 2025, people living in Nigeria amounted to over 237 million, while the number for the three other countries exceeded 100 million each. Of those, the Democratic Republic of Congo sustained the fourth-highest fertility rate in Africa in 2023. Nigeria and Ethiopia also had high rates, with 4.48 and 3.99 births per woman, respectively. Although such a high fertility rate is expected to slow down, it will still impact the population structure, growing younger nations.

List of African countries by median age. Niger average age is 14.8, the youngest African country and the youngest country in the world. The African islands of Seychelles is the oldest African country with an average age of 36.8.

*********************, who became prime minister of ******* in December 2024, is the youngest state leader worldwide, aged **. Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso and Daniel Noboa of Ecuador are aged **, too. Conversely, the oldest state leader in the world is ********* of ********, aged **.

List of African countries by median age of the total population and male and female median ages. Niger with an average age of 14.8 years old is the youngest country in Africa and the youngest country in the world.

This statistic shows the countries with the lowest projected median age in 2050. By 2050, Niger is projected to have the population with the lowest median age at 19 years old.

Globally, about 25 percent of the population is under 15 years of age and 10 percent is over 65 years of age. Africa has the youngest population worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 40 percent of the population is below 15 years, and only three percent are above 65, indicating the low life expectancy in several of the countries. In Europe, on the other hand, a higher share of the population is above 65 years than the population under 15 years. Fertility rates The high share of children and youth in Africa is connected to the high fertility rates on the continent. For instance, South Sudan and Niger have the highest population growth rates globally. However, about 50 percent of the world’s population live in countries with low fertility, where women have less than 2.1 children. Some countries in Europe, like Latvia and Lithuania, have experienced a population decline of one percent, and in the Cook Islands, it is even above two percent. In Europe, the majority of the population was previously working-aged adults with few dependents, but this trend is expected to reverse soon, and it is predicted that by 2050, the older population will outnumber the young in many developed countries. Growing global population As of 2025, there are 8.1 billion people living on the planet, and this is expected to reach more than nine billion before 2040. Moreover, the global population is expected to reach 10 billions around 2060, before slowing and then even falling slightly by 2100. As the population growth rates indicate, a significant share of the population increase will happen in Africa.

Kosovo, one of the youngest countries in an aging Europe, took its first steps on the road to greater prosperity a quarter of a century ago. Kosovo’s economy has experienced significant growth in recent years. The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered Kosovo’s first ever recession in 2020. While spending on education has more than doubled, the quality of human capital needs to improve. And barriers to women’s economic empowerment need to be lifted. Proximity to major markets in Europe and a youthful population provide an opportunity for growth. Kosovo is one of the youngest countries in an aging Europe. Trade facilitation and logistics connectivity are getting better. Proximity to a large and affluent market, low taxes and labor costs, a resilient and liquid financial sector, and strong ties with its diaspora will help support growth.

Description

This comprehensive dataset provides a wealth of information about all countries worldwide, covering a wide range of indicators and attributes. It encompasses demographic statistics, economic indicators, environmental factors, healthcare metrics, education statistics, and much more. With every country represented, this dataset offers a complete global perspective on various aspects of nations, enabling in-depth analyses and cross-country comparisons.

Key Features

• Country: Name of the country.
• Density (P/Km2): Population density measured in persons per square kilometer.
• Abbreviation: Abbreviation or code representing the country.
• Agricultural Land (%): Percentage of land area used for agricultural purposes.
• Land Area (Km2): Total land area of the country in square kilometers.
• Armed Forces Size: Size of the armed forces in the country.
• Birth Rate: Number of births per 1,000 population per year.
• Calling Code: International calling code for the country.
• Capital/Major City: Name of the capital or major city.
• CO2 Emissions: Carbon dioxide emissions in tons.
• CPI: Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation and purchasing power.
• CPI Change (%): Percentage change in the Consumer Price Index compared to the previous year.
• Currency_Code: Currency code used in the country.
• Fertility Rate: Average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime.
• Forested Area (%): Percentage of land area covered by forests.
• Gasoline_Price: Price of gasoline per liter in local currency.
• GDP: Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services produced in the country.
• Gross Primary Education Enrollment (%): Gross enrollment ratio for primary education.
• Gross Tertiary Education Enrollment (%): Gross enrollment ratio for tertiary education.
• Infant Mortality: Number of deaths per 1,000 live births before reaching one year of age.
• Largest City: Name of the country's largest city.
• Life Expectancy: Average number of years a newborn is expected to live.
• Maternal Mortality Ratio: Number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
• Minimum Wage: Minimum wage level in local currency.
• Official Language: Official language(s) spoken in the country.
• Out of Pocket Health Expenditure (%): Percentage of total health expenditure paid out-of-pocket by individuals.
• Physicians per Thousand: Number of physicians per thousand people.
• Population: Total population of the country.
• Population: Labor Force Participation (%): Percentage of the population that is part of the labor force.
• Tax Revenue (%): Tax revenue as a percentage of GDP.
• Total Tax Rate: Overall tax burden as a percentage of commercial profits.
• Unemployment Rate: Percentage of the labor force that is unemployed.
• Urban Population: Percentage of the population living in urban areas.
• Latitude: Latitude coordinate of the country's location.
• Longitude: Longitude coordinate of the country's location.

Potential Use Cases

• Analyze population density and land area to study spatial distribution patterns.
• Investigate the relationship between agricultural land and food security.
• Examine carbon dioxide emissions and their impact on climate change.
• Explore correlations between economic indicators such as GDP and various socio-economic factors.
• Investigate educational enrollment rates and their implications for human capital development.
• Analyze healthcare metrics such as infant mortality and life expectancy to assess overall well-being.
• Study labor market dynamics through indicators such as labor force participation and unemployment rates.
• Investigate the role of taxation and its impact on economic development.
• Explore urbanization trends and their social and environmental consequences.

Data Source: This dataset was compiled from multiple data sources

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Burkina Faso BF: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 77.124 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 78.932 % for 2022. Burkina Faso BF: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 87.529 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.822 % in 1993 and a record low of 69.305 % in 1960. Burkina Faso BF: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Burkina Faso – Table BF.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Global Educational Attainment Among Young Adults by Country, 2023 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

license: apache-2.0 tags: - africa - sustainable-development-goals - world-health-organization - development

  Children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading (%) - Primary education





  Dataset Description

This dataset provides country-level data for the indicator "4.1.1 Children and young people achieving a minimum proficiency level in reading (%) - Primary education" across African nations, sourced from the World Health Organization's… See the full description on the dataset page: https://huggingface.co/datasets/electricsheepafrica/children-and-young-people-achieving-a-minimum-proficiency-le-for-african-countries.

The average for 2023 based on 177 countries was 15.77 percent. The highest value was in Djibouti: 76.27 percent and the lowest value was in Niger: 0.42 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, the median age in Africa was **** years, meaning that half of the population was older and half was younger than that age. The median age on the continent increased compared to 2000 when it was around ** years. Africa is the youngest continent in the world and presents the highest share of inhabitants aged 14 years and younger, that is, ** percent of the total population. Niger, Uganda, and Angola were the countries with the youngest population in Africa as of 2023.

Greenland Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 30.116 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.881 % for 2022. Greenland Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 38.402 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.043 % in 1966 and a record low of 29.280 % in 2017. Greenland Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Greenland – Table GL.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Uzbekistan UZ: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 41.430 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 41.332 % for 2016. Uzbekistan UZ: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 73.540 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.209 % in 1968 and a record low of 41.332 % in 2016. Uzbekistan UZ: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uzbekistan – Table UZ.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Costa Rica CR: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 28.671 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 29.267 % for 2022. Costa Rica CR: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 59.075 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90.563 % in 1963 and a record low of 28.671 % in 2023. Costa Rica CR: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Costa Rica – Table CR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.;Weighted average;

Tunisia TN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 35.314 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 34.999 % for 2016. Tunisia TN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 66.027 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92.534 % in 1966 and a record low of 33.566 % in 2011. Tunisia TN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Tunisia – Table TN.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa. As of 2025, the country counted over 237.5 million individuals, whereas Ethiopia, which ranked second, has around 135.5 million inhabitants. Egypt registered the largest population in North Africa, reaching nearly 118.4 million people. In terms of inhabitants per square kilometer, Nigeria only ranked seventh, while Mauritius had the highest population density on the whole African continent in 2023. The fastest-growing world region Africa is the second most populous continent in the world, after Asia. Nevertheless, Africa records the highest growth rate worldwide, with figures rising by over two percent every year. In some countries, such as Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic, the population increase peaks at over 3.4 percent. With so many births, Africa is also the youngest continent in the world. However, this coincides with a low life expectancy. African cities on the rise The last decades have seen high urbanization rates in Asia, mainly in China and India. African cities are also growing at large rates. Indeed, the continent has three megacities and is expected to add four more by 2050. Furthermore, Africa's fastest-growing cities are forecast to be Bujumbura, in Burundi, and Zinder, Nigeria, by 2035.

This dataset provides values for RETIREMENT AGE MEN reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Montenegro ME: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 26.992 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 27.084 % for 2016. Montenegro ME: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 38.493 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 59.987 % in 1964 and a record low of 26.992 % in 2017. Montenegro ME: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Montenegro – Table ME.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;