| Region | Africa | |
| Population (000, 2024) | 272 131a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2024) | 35.4a | |
| Surface area (km2) | 7 769 438b | |
| Sex ratio (m per 100 f) | 101.5a |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 772 568 | 762 299 | 855 580b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | 3.7 | -3.3 | 3b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 3 390.4 | 3 038.7 | 3 298.4b |
| Employment in agriculturec (% of employed) | 26.2 | 23.4 | 22.1b |
| Employment in industryc (% of employed) | 24.5 | 25.8 | 26b |
| Employment in servicesc (% employed) | 49.3 | 50.8 | 52b |
| Unemploymentc (% of labour force) | 13.1 | 12.5 | 11.3 |
| Labour force participation ratec (female/male pop. %) | 23.2 / 69.4 | 19.0 / 66.9 | 20.1 / 69.1 |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 102 | 108 | 110b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 124 602 | 111 950 | 200 494d |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 205 432 | 191 865 | 242 843d |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | - 80 831 | - 79 914 | - 42 349d |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 2 | 1.6 | 1.4a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 51.4 | 52.2e | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.3f | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.9a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 72.8 / 68.4 | 72.5 / 68.0 | 74.6 / 70.0a |
| Population age distributiong (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 33.4 / 7.2 | 33.0 / 8.1 | 31.9 / 8.8a |
| International migrant stock (000/% of total pop.) | 2 138.9 / 1.0 | 3 167.9 / 1.3 | ... / ... |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 32.6 | 28.9 | 26.9a |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 93.4 / 97.3c | 96.7 / 99.3 | 93.5 / 95.6b |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio c (f/m per 100 pop.) | 91.6 / 96.5 | 93.5 / 98.2 | 92.9 / 97.5b |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratioc (f/m per 100 pop.) | 62.0 / 58.5 | 65.2 / 60.4 | 69.6 / 64.6b |
| Intentional homicide ratec (per 100 000 pop.) | 5.8 | 5.8 | 6.4b |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 24.6 | 20.1h | 20h |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Individuals using the Internet (per 100 inhabitants) | 36.6 | 63.9 | 69.3d |
| Research & Development expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7i |
| Forested areac (% of land area) | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5i |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 35 | 41.6 | 41.6d |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 81.9 / ... | 81.4 / ... | 81.1 / ...b |
| Pop. using safely managed sanitation (urban/rural, %) | 50.1 / 43.7 | 52.7 / 47.3 | 59.7 / 33.9b |
| Net Official Development Assist. receivedj,k (% of GNI) | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.42i |
| Footnotes |
| a | Projected estimate (medium fertility variant). | |
| b | 2022 | |
| c | Estimate. | |
| d | 2023 | |
| e | 2019 | |
| f | Data refers to a 5-year period preceding the reference year. | |
| g | Calculated by the UN Statistics Division. | |
| h | Data are as at 1 January of reporting year. | |
| i | 2021 | |
| j | Including regional aid disbursements in addition to the disbursements made to individual countries and areas. | |
| k | Excluding Sudan. |