Rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population, female was 31.3% in 2015. ▼ Falling

Latest (2015)
31.3%
Rank
12th
of 47 groups
All-time high
39.3%
in 1980
All-time low
31.3%
in 2015
Years of data
8
1980–2015

Rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2015

0102030401980199720151980: 39.3 % of total1985: 38.1 % of total1990: 36.8 % of total1995: 35.8 % of total2000: 34.9 % of total2005: 33.8 % of total2010: 32.6 % of total2015: 31.3 % of total

Source: The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects. Measured in % of total.

Analysis

In 2015, rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 31.3%. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 39.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 31.3%, in 2015.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.

Rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Rural population, female (% of total) in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980 to 2015.
Year % of total Change
1980 39.3%
1985 38.1% -3.0%
1990 36.8% -3.6%
1995 35.8% -2.7%
2000 34.9% -2.4%
2005 33.8% -3.1%
2010 32.6% -3.6%
2015 31.3% -4.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 38.7% 38.1% 39.3% 2
1990s 36.3% 35.8% 36.8% 2
2000s 34.4% 33.8% 34.9% 2
2010s 32.0% 31.3% 32.6% 2

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 9 South Sudan 40.7% compare
  2. 10 Cambodia 40.4% compare
  3. 11 Niger 40.3% compare
  4. 12 Ethiopia 40.2% compare
  5. 13 Eswatini 40.0% compare
  6. 14 Samoa 39.2% compare
  7. 15 Antigua and Barbuda 39.1% compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More gender data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 31.3% in 2015, according to The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects.
What is the highest rural population, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 1980.
What is the lowest rural population, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 31.3% in 2015.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for rural population, female?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th out of 47 groups with data for 2015.
Is rural population, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, published as part of Rural population, female (% of total). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rural population, female in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/rural-population-female-percent-of-total/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population, female (% of total)
Unit
% of total
Source
The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 1,928 data points, 1980–2015
Last refreshed

Female rural population is the percentage of females who live in rural areas to total population.