The Continent of AfricaA Primer for All Ages

Section 6

Demographic Data for All African Countries

Key indicators for each country. Sortable tables, rankings and continent comparisons are coming in a future update.

1. Algeria

Population: 45,600,000
Capital City: Algiers
Largest City: Algiers
Official Language: Arabic, Tamazight
Primary Language: Arabic, French
Median Age: 28.5
Life Expectancy: 76.8
Literacy Rate: 81.4%
GDP Per Capita: $13,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 71%
Urbanization Rate: 75%
Area in Square Miles: 919,595

2. Angola

Population: 36,700,000
Capital City: Luanda
Largest City: Luanda
Official Language: Portuguese
Primary Language: Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo
Median Age: 16.7
Life Expectancy: 61.6
Literacy Rate: 71.1%
GDP Per Capita: $6,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 36%
Urbanization Rate: 68%
Area in Square Miles: 481,354

3. Benin

Population: 13,700,000
Capital City: Porto-Novo
Largest City: Cotonou
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Fon, Yoruba
Median Age: 18.8
Life Expectancy: 60
Literacy Rate: 42.5%
GDP Per Capita: $3,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 34%
Urbanization Rate: 49%
Area in Square Miles: 44,310

4. Botswana

Population: 2,600,000
Capital City: Gaborone
Largest City: Gaborone
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Setswana
Median Age: 25.7
Life Expectancy: 61.1
Literacy Rate: 88.5%
GDP Per Capita: $19,300
Internet Penetration Rate: 73%
Urbanization Rate: 72%
Area in Square Miles: 224,607

5. Burkina Faso

Population: 23,300,000
Capital City: Ouagadougou
Largest City: Ouagadougou
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Mooré, Dioula
Median Age: 17.6
Life Expectancy: 60.3
Literacy Rate: 41.2%
GDP Per Capita: $2,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 22%
Urbanization Rate: 31%
Area in Square Miles: 105,900

6. Burundi

Population: 13,200,000
Capital City: Gitega
Largest City: Bujumbura
Official Language: Kirundi, French, English
Primary Language: Kirundi
Median Age: 17.3
Life Expectancy: 61.6
Literacy Rate: 68.4%
GDP Per Capita: $800
Internet Penetration Rate: 15%
Urbanization Rate: 14%
Area in Square Miles: 10,747

7. Cabo Verde

Population: 598,000
Capital City: Praia
Largest City: Praia
Official Language: Portuguese
Primary Language: Cape Verdean Creole
Median Age: 28
Life Expectancy: 74.1
Literacy Rate: 86.8%
GDP Per Capita: $7,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 65%
Urbanization Rate: 67%
Area in Square Miles: 1,557

8. Cameroon

Population: 28,600,000
Capital City: Yaoundé
Largest City: Douala
Official Language: French, English
Primary Language: Ewondo, Fulfulde
Median Age: 18.5
Life Expectancy: 60.3
Literacy Rate: 77.1%
GDP Per Capita: $4,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 45%
Urbanization Rate: 58%
Area in Square Miles: 183,569

9. Central African Republic

Population: 5,700,000
Capital City: Bangui
Largest City: Bangui
Official Language: French, Sango
Primary Language: Sango
Median Age: 17.6
Life Expectancy: 54.9
Literacy Rate: 37.4%
GDP Per Capita: $1,100
Internet Penetration Rate: 11%
Urbanization Rate: 43%
Area in Square Miles: 240,535

10. Chad

Population: 18,300,000
Capital City: N'Djamena
Largest City: N'Djamena
Official Language: French, Arabic
Primary Language: Sara
Median Age: 16
Life Expectancy: 53.7
Literacy Rate: 22.3%
GDP Per Capita: $1,700
Internet Penetration Rate: 18%
Urbanization Rate: 24%
Area in Square Miles: 495,755

11. Comoros

Population: 850,000
Capital City: Moroni
Largest City: Moroni
Official Language: Comorian, Arabic, French
Primary Language: Comorian
Median Age: 20.9
Life Expectancy: 64.3
Literacy Rate: 58.8%
GDP Per Capita: $3,200
Internet Penetration Rate: 27%
Urbanization Rate: 30%
Area in Square Miles: 719

12. Democratic Republic of the Congo

Population: 102,300,000
Capital City: Kinshasa
Largest City: Kinshasa
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo
Median Age: 17
Life Expectancy: 60.7
Literacy Rate: 77%
GDP Per Capita: $1,300
Internet Penetration Rate: 23%
Urbanization Rate: 46%
Area in Square Miles: 905,355

13. Djibouti

Population: 1,100,000
Capital City: Djibouti City
Largest City: Djibouti City
Official Language: French, Arabic
Primary Language: Somali, Afar
Median Age: 25
Life Expectancy: 67.1
Literacy Rate: 67.9%
GDP Per Capita: $5,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 60%
Urbanization Rate: 78%
Area in Square Miles: 8,958

14. Egypt

Population: 112,700,000
Capital City: Cairo
Largest City: Cairo
Official Language: Arabic
Primary Language: Arabic
Median Age: 24.8
Life Expectancy: 70.2
Literacy Rate: 73.1%
GDP Per Capita: $15,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 72%
Urbanization Rate: 43%
Area in Square Miles: 386,662

15. Equatorial Guinea

Population: 1,700,000
Capital City: Malabo
Largest City: Bata
Official Language: Spanish, French, Portuguese
Primary Language: Fang, Bubi
Median Age: 22.3
Life Expectancy: 61.2
Literacy Rate: 95.3%
GDP Per Capita: $18,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 60%
Urbanization Rate: 73%
Area in Square Miles: 10,830

16. Eritrea

Population: 3,700,000
Capital City: Asmara
Largest City: Asmara
Official Language: Tigrinya, Arabic, English
Primary Language: Tigrinya
Median Age: 19.2
Life Expectancy: 66.5
Literacy Rate: 76.6%
GDP Per Capita: $1,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 2%
Urbanization Rate: 37%
Area in Square Miles: 45,406

17. Eswatini

Population: 1,200,000
Capital City: Mbabane
Largest City: Manzini
Official Language: siSwati, English
Primary Language: siSwati
Median Age: 21.7
Life Expectancy: 57.1
Literacy Rate: 88.4%
GDP Per Capita: $11,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 57%
Urbanization Rate: 24%
Area in Square Miles: 6,704

18. Ethiopia

Population: 126,500,000
Capital City: Addis Ababa
Largest City: Addis Ababa
Official Language: Amharic
Primary Language: Oromo, Amharic, Somali
Median Age: 19.8
Life Expectancy: 65
Literacy Rate: 51.8%
GDP Per Capita: $3,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 25%
Urbanization Rate: 22%
Area in Square Miles: 426,372

19. Gabon

Population: 2,400,000
Capital City: Libreville
Largest City: Libreville
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Fang, Myene
Median Age: 22.5
Life Expectancy: 66.5
Literacy Rate: 84.7%
GDP Per Capita: $16,200
Internet Penetration Rate: 68%
Urbanization Rate: 90%
Area in Square Miles: 103,347

20. Gambia

Population: 2,700,000
Capital City: Banjul
Largest City: Serekunda
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Mandinka, Wolof, Fula
Median Age: 17.8
Life Expectancy: 63.2
Literacy Rate: 50.8%
GDP Per Capita: $2,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 37%
Urbanization Rate: 63%
Area in Square Miles: 4,127

21. Ghana

Population: 34,100,000
Capital City: Accra
Largest City: Accra
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Akan (Twi), Ewe, Ga
Median Age: 21.5
Life Expectancy: 63.8
Literacy Rate: 79%
GDP Per Capita: $6,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 68%
Urbanization Rate: 58%
Area in Square Miles: 92,099

22. Guinea

Population: 14,200,000
Capital City: Conakry
Largest City: Conakry
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Fula, Mandinka, Susu
Median Age: 19.1
Life Expectancy: 58.9
Literacy Rate: 45.3%
GDP Per Capita: $3,100
Internet Penetration Rate: 30%
Urbanization Rate: 37%
Area in Square Miles: 94,926

23. Guinea-Bissau

Population: 2,100,000
Capital City: Bissau
Largest City: Bissau
Official Language: Portuguese
Primary Language: Crioulo
Median Age: 18.8
Life Expectancy: 59.7
Literacy Rate: 52.9%
GDP Per Capita: $2,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 28%
Urbanization Rate: 45%
Area in Square Miles: 13,948

24. Ivory Coast

Population: 28,900,000
Capital City: Yamoussoukro
Largest City: Abidjan
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Baoulé, Dioula, Senoufo
Median Age: 18.9
Life Expectancy: 58.6
Literacy Rate: 89.9%
GDP Per Capita: $5,900
Internet Penetration Rate: 45%
Urbanization Rate: 52%
Area in Square Miles: 124,504

25. Kenya

Population: 55,100,000
Capital City: Nairobi
Largest City: Nairobi
Official Language: Swahili, English
Primary Language: Swahili, Kikuyu, Luo
Median Age: 20.1
Life Expectancy: 66.1
Literacy Rate: 81.5%
GDP Per Capita: $6,100
Internet Penetration Rate: 85%
Urbanization Rate: 29%
Area in Square Miles: 224,081

26. Lesotho

Population: 2,300,000
Capital City: Maseru
Largest City: Maseru
Official Language: Sesotho, English
Primary Language: Sesotho
Median Age: 24
Life Expectancy: 53.1
Literacy Rate: 81%
GDP Per Capita: $3,200
Internet Penetration Rate: 51%
Urbanization Rate: 30%
Area in Square Miles: 11,720

27. Liberia

Population: 5,400,000
Capital City: Monrovia
Largest City: Monrovia
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Kpelle, Bassa
Median Age: 18
Life Expectancy: 61.1
Literacy Rate: 48.3%
GDP Per Capita: $1,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 22%
Urbanization Rate: 53%
Area in Square Miles: 43,000

28. Libya

Population: 6,800,000
Capital City: Tripoli
Largest City: Tripoli
Official Language: Arabic
Primary Language: Arabic
Median Age: 28.8
Life Expectancy: 72.5
Literacy Rate: 91.4%
GDP Per Capita: $18,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 50%
Urbanization Rate: 81%
Area in Square Miles: 679,362

29. Madagascar

Population: 30,300,000
Capital City: Antananarivo
Largest City: Antananarivo
Official Language: Malagasy, French
Primary Language: Malagasy
Median Age: 19.6
Life Expectancy: 65.2
Literacy Rate: 74.8%
GDP Per Capita: $1,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 22%
Urbanization Rate: 40%
Area in Square Miles: 226,658

30. Malawi

Population: 20,900,000
Capital City: Lilongwe
Largest City: Lilongwe
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Chichewa
Median Age: 18.1
Life Expectancy: 62.9
Literacy Rate: 62.1%
GDP Per Capita: $1,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 24%
Urbanization Rate: 18%
Area in Square Miles: 45,747

31. Mali

Population: 23,300,000
Capital City: Bamako
Largest City: Bamako
Official Language: Bambara (National), French
Primary Language: Bambara
Median Age: 16.1
Life Expectancy: 58.9
Literacy Rate: 30.8%
GDP Per Capita: $2,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 31%
Urbanization Rate: 45%
Area in Square Miles: 478,841

32. Mauritania

Population: 4,900,000
Capital City: Nouakchott
Largest City: Nouakchott
Official Language: Arabic
Primary Language: Hassaniya, Pulaar, Wolof
Median Age: 20.1
Life Expectancy: 64.7
Literacy Rate: 67%
GDP Per Capita: $6,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 48%
Urbanization Rate: 57%
Area in Square Miles: 397,954

33. Mauritius

Population: 1,260,000
Capital City: Port Louis
Largest City: Port Louis
Official Language: English, French
Primary Language: Mauritian Creole
Median Age: 38
Life Expectancy: 74.1
Literacy Rate: 91.3%
GDP Per Capita: $26,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 75%
Urbanization Rate: 41%
Area in Square Miles: 788

34. Morocco

Population: 37,800,000
Capital City: Rabat
Largest City: Casablanca
Official Language: Arabic, Tamazight
Primary Language: Moroccan Arabic, French
Median Age: 29.5
Life Expectancy: 74.3
Literacy Rate: 76%
GDP Per Capita: $9,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 88%
Urbanization Rate: 64%
Area in Square Miles: 172,414

35. Mozambique

Population: 33,900,000
Capital City: Maputo
Largest City: Maputo
Official Language: Portuguese
Primary Language: Makhuwa, Tsonga
Median Age: 17.6
Life Expectancy: 59.3
Literacy Rate: 60.7%
GDP Per Capita: $1,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 23%
Urbanization Rate: 38%
Area in Square Miles: 309,496

36. Namibia

Population: 2,600,000
Capital City: Windhoek
Largest City: Windhoek
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Oshiwambo, Afrikaans, German
Median Age: 21.8
Life Expectancy: 62.1
Literacy Rate: 91.5%
GDP Per Capita: $10,700
Internet Penetration Rate: 53%
Urbanization Rate: 55%
Area in Square Miles: 318,261

37. Niger

Population: 27,200,000
Capital City: Niamey
Largest City: Niamey
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Hausa, Zarma
Median Age: 14.8
Life Expectancy: 61.6
Literacy Rate: 37.3%
GDP Per Capita: $1,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 16%
Urbanization Rate: 17%
Area in Square Miles: 489,191

38. Nigeria

Population: 223,800,000
Capital City: Abuja
Largest City: Lagos
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo
Median Age: 18.1
Life Expectancy: 53.8
Literacy Rate: 77.6%
GDP Per Capita: $5,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 55%
Urbanization Rate: 53%
Area in Square Miles: 356,669

39. Republic of the Congo

Population: 6,100,000
Capital City: Brazzaville
Largest City: Brazzaville
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Lingala, Kituba
Median Age: 19.3
Life Expectancy: 64.6
Literacy Rate: 80.3%
GDP Per Capita: $4,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 36%
Urbanization Rate: 68%
Area in Square Miles: 132,047

40. Rwanda

Population: 14,100,000
Capital City: Kigali
Largest City: Kigali
Official Language: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili
Primary Language: Kinyarwanda
Median Age: 20.3
Life Expectancy: 66.1
Literacy Rate: 73.2%
GDP Per Capita: $2,900
Internet Penetration Rate: 31%
Urbanization Rate: 18%
Area in Square Miles: 10,169

41. São Tomé and Príncipe

Population: 230,000
Capital City: São Tomé
Largest City: São Tomé
Official Language: Portuguese
Primary Language: Forro, Angolar
Median Age: 19
Life Expectancy: 70.4
Literacy Rate: 92.8%
GDP Per Capita: $4,400
Internet Penetration Rate: 60%
Urbanization Rate: 75%
Area in Square Miles: 372

42. Senegal

Population: 17,700,000
Capital City: Dakar
Largest City: Dakar
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Wolof, Pulaar, Serer
Median Age: 18.5
Life Expectancy: 67.1
Literacy Rate: 51.9%
GDP Per Capita: $4,200
Internet Penetration Rate: 58%
Urbanization Rate: 49%
Area in Square Miles: 75,955

43. Seychelles

Population: 100,000
Capital City: Victoria
Largest City: Victoria
Official Language: Seychellois Creole, English, French
Primary Language: Seychellois Creole
Median Age: 36.8
Life Expectancy: 73.5
Literacy Rate: 95.9%
GDP Per Capita: $35,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 82%
Urbanization Rate: 58%
Area in Square Miles: 175

44. Sierra Leone

Population: 8,800,000
Capital City: Freetown
Largest City: Freetown
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Krio
Median Age: 19.4
Life Expectancy: 60.1
Literacy Rate: 47.7%
GDP Per Capita: $1,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 21%
Urbanization Rate: 44%
Area in Square Miles: 27,699

45. Somalia

Population: 18,100,000
Capital City: Mogadishu
Largest City: Mogadishu
Official Language: Somali, Arabic
Primary Language: Somali
Median Age: 16.5
Life Expectancy: 55.3
Literacy Rate: 38%
GDP Per Capita: $1,300
Internet Penetration Rate: 20%
Urbanization Rate: 47%
Area in Square Miles: 246,201

46. South Africa

Population: 60,400,000
Capital City: Pretoria
Largest City: Johannesburg
Official Language: 12 Official Languages
Primary Language: isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English
Median Age: 28
Life Expectancy: 62.3
Literacy Rate: 95%
GDP Per Capita: $16,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 72%
Urbanization Rate: 68%
Area in Square Miles: 471,445

47. South Sudan

Population: 11,100,000
Capital City: Juba
Largest City: Juba
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Dinka, Nuer, Bari
Median Age: 18.6
Life Expectancy: 55
Literacy Rate: 34.5%
GDP Per Capita: $1,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 8%
Urbanization Rate: 21%
Area in Square Miles: 239,285

48. Sudan

Population: 48,100,000
Capital City: Khartoum
Largest City: Omdurman
Official Language: Arabic, English
Primary Language: Arabic
Median Age: 19.7
Life Expectancy: 65.3
Literacy Rate: 60.7%
GDP Per Capita: $4,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 30%
Urbanization Rate: 36%
Area in Square Miles: 718,723

49. Tanzania

Population: 67,400,000
Capital City: Dodoma
Largest City: Dar es Salaam
Official Language: Swahili, English
Primary Language: Swahili
Median Age: 18.2
Life Expectancy: 66.2
Literacy Rate: 77.9%
GDP Per Capita: $3,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 50%
Urbanization Rate: 37%
Area in Square Miles: 365,756

50. Togo

Population: 9,100,000
Capital City: Lomé
Largest City: Lomé
Official Language: French
Primary Language: Ewe, Kabye
Median Age: 19.5
Life Expectancy: 61.6
Literacy Rate: 66.5%
GDP Per Capita: $2,600
Internet Penetration Rate: 33%
Urbanization Rate: 43%
Area in Square Miles: 21,925

51. Tunisia

Population: 12,400,000
Capital City: Tunis
Largest City: Tunis
Official Language: Arabic
Primary Language: Arabic, French
Median Age: 32.7
Life Expectancy: 73.8
Literacy Rate: 79%
GDP Per Capita: $12,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 79%
Urbanization Rate: 70%
Area in Square Miles: 63,170

52. Uganda

Population: 48,600,000
Capital City: Kampala
Largest City: Kampala
Official Language: English, Swahili
Primary Language: Luganda, Swahili
Median Age: 15.9
Life Expectancy: 62.7
Literacy Rate: 76.5%
GDP Per Capita: $3,000
Internet Penetration Rate: 29%
Urbanization Rate: 26%
Area in Square Miles: 93,065

53. Zambia

Population: 20,600,000
Capital City: Lusaka
Largest City: Lusaka
Official Language: English
Primary Language: Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga
Median Age: 16.9
Life Expectancy: 61.2
Literacy Rate: 86.7%
GDP Per Capita: $3,800
Internet Penetration Rate: 31%
Urbanization Rate: 46%
Area in Square Miles: 290,587

54. Zimbabwe

Population: 16,700,000
Capital City: Harare
Largest City: Harare
Official Language: 16 Official Languages
Primary Language: Shona, Ndebele, English
Median Age: 18.7
Life Expectancy: 59.3
Literacy Rate: 88.7%
GDP Per Capita: $2,500
Internet Penetration Rate: 35%
Urbanization Rate: 32%
Area in Square Miles: 150,872

55. Western Sahara

Disputed territory

Not included in the demographic data table.