Global Demographic Trends - the rise of Africa

In 2007, the top ten African countries were:

1. Nigeria - 127 million
2. Egypt - 80 million
3. Ethiopia - 77 million
4. Congo (Kinshasa) - 66 million
5. South Africa - 44 million
6. Tanzania - 39 million
7. Sudan - 39 million
8. Kenya - 39 million
9. Morocco - 34 million
10. Algeria - 33 million.

In 2007, the top ten African countries are projected to be:

1. Nigeria - 357 million
2. Congo (Kinshasa) - 203 million
3. Ethiopia - 145 million
4. Uganda - 128 million
5. Egypt - 128 million
6. Sudan - 88 million
7. Tanzania - 67 million
8. Kenya - 65 million
9. Madagascar - 56 million
10. Morocco - 51 million

These are very large increases indeed. They could well be larger if African life expectancies increase significantly.

Note that South Africa has vanished from the list, with a projected decline in population from 44 to just 33 million.

The size of the African increases has significant implications for economic development and political stability. How will these extra people be employed, fed and housed? What are the implications for Africa of projected climate change, given the projected population increases?

Note on Sources

Source data can be found at the introductory post.

Posts in Series

Introductory post. Last post. Next post.