GDP (current US$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: GDP (current US$), per square kilometre was 88,592 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
88,592 current US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
down 7.5%
Rank
37th
of 45 groups
All-time high
95,814 current US$ per square kilometre
in 2022
All-time low
1,863 current US$ per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
GDP (current US$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, gdp (current us$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 88,592 current US$ per square kilometre.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp (current us$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 95,814 current US$ per square kilometre in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1,863 current US$ per square kilometre, in 1961.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 37th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
GDP (current US$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | current US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1,863 current US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 2,013 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1963 | 2,290 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.7% |
| 1964 | 2,278 current US$ per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 2,509 current US$ per square kilometre | +10.1% |
| 1966 | 2,720 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1967 | 2,723 current US$ per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 2,914 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 3,290 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.9% |
| 1970 | 3,674 current US$ per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 1971 | 3,777 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 4,256 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.7% |
| 1973 | 5,426 current US$ per square kilometre | +27.5% |
| 1974 | 6,884 current US$ per square kilometre | +26.9% |
| 1975 | 7,558 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.8% |
| 1976 | 8,176 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 8,985 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.9% |
| 1978 | 10,062 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 1979 | 11,863 current US$ per square kilometre | +17.9% |
| 1980 | 14,900 current US$ per square kilometre | +25.6% |
| 1981 | 20,107 current US$ per square kilometre | +34.9% |
| 1982 | 18,693 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 1983 | 16,779 current US$ per square kilometre | -10.2% |
| 1984 | 14,992 current US$ per square kilometre | -10.7% |
| 1985 | 14,315 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 1986 | 13,418 current US$ per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 15,026 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.0% |
| 1988 | 15,823 current US$ per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 16,106 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 18,857 current US$ per square kilometre | +17.1% |
| 1991 | 20,193 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1992 | 18,168 current US$ per square kilometre | -10.0% |
| 1993 | 17,412 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 17,804 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 22,648 current US$ per square kilometre | +27.2% |
| 1996 | 25,306 current US$ per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 1997 | 26,612 current US$ per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 26,684 current US$ per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 19,050 current US$ per square kilometre | -28.6% |
| 2000 | 20,186 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 19,346 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 21,162 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 26,642 current US$ per square kilometre | +25.9% |
| 2004 | 32,858 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.3% |
| 2005 | 39,130 current US$ per square kilometre | +19.1% |
| 2006 | 46,228 current US$ per square kilometre | +18.1% |
| 2007 | 53,538 current US$ per square kilometre | +15.8% |
| 2008 | 60,821 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.6% |
| 2009 | 58,059 current US$ per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 68,700 current US$ per square kilometre | +18.3% |
| 2011 | 77,176 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.3% |
| 2012 | 71,877 current US$ per square kilometre | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 76,405 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 2014 | 79,647 current US$ per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 70,646 current US$ per square kilometre | -11.3% |
| 2016 | 64,141 current US$ per square kilometre | -9.2% |
| 2017 | 70,028 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 75,309 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 2019 | 85,599 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.7% |
| 2020 | 79,583 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 89,518 current US$ per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 2022 | 95,814 current US$ per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 2023 | 88,592 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,511 current US$ per square kilometre | 1,863 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,290 current US$ per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 7,066 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,674 current US$ per square kilometre | 11,863 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 16,016 current US$ per square kilometre | 13,418 current US$ per square kilometre | 20,107 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,274 current US$ per square kilometre | 17,412 current US$ per square kilometre | 26,684 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 37,797 current US$ per square kilometre | 19,346 current US$ per square kilometre | 60,821 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 73,953 current US$ per square kilometre | 64,141 current US$ per square kilometre | 85,599 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 88,377 current US$ per square kilometre | 79,583 current US$ per square kilometre | 95,814 current US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 34 Italy 7.83 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 35 Curacao 7.39 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 36 United Arab Emirates 7.36 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 37 Mauritius 7.05 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 38 Austria 6.26 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 39 France 5.67 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 40 Trinidad and Tobago 4.88 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita 1,615 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0098 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 16.47 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 161.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9626 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per capita 1,610 current US$ per person (2025)
- GNI (current US$), annual growth rate 11.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 1,673 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.14 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp (current us$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Gdp (current us$), per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa was 88,592 current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gdp (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95,814 current US$ per square kilometre in 2022.
- What is the lowest gdp (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,863 current US$ per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for gdp (current us$), per square kilometre?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 37th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is gdp (current us$), per square kilometre rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of GDP (current US$), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
GDP (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
GDP (current US$) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
GDP (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.