People in Africa

Africa’s demographic landscape of the People in Africa has experienced significant transformation over the last century, showcasing rapid population growth characterized by a pronounced youth bulge and a relatively low life expectancy below 50 years in certain regions.

As of 2017, the continent’s total population was estimated to surpass 1.25 billion, with an annual growth rate exceeding 2.5%. Nigeria stands out as the most populous country in Africa with a population of 191 million in 2017 and an annual growth rate of 2.6%.

Previously, in 2016, the population of Africa was approximately 1.225 billion, representing 17% of the global population. Forecasts by the United Nations suggest that by 2050, Africa’s population could reach 2.5 billion, constituting about 26% of the world’s total population, and nearly 4.5 billion by 2100, which would account for about 40% of the global population. The continent crossed the one billion mark back in 2009, with a population doubling time of 27 years based on a growth rate of 2.6% per annum.

The continued demographic expansion has largely maintained the same pace, with expectations that the total population will surpass 2 billion by 2038, doubling in approximately 29 years with an annual growth rate of 2.4%. This unrestrained population increase since the mid-20th century can be attributed to a decline in infant mortality rates and a general increase in life expectancy, coupled with an unaltered fertility rate due to very limited use of contraceptives. This unchecked population growth poses significant risks, threatening to outpace infrastructure development and severely hinder economic progress. In response, countries like Kenya and Zambia have actively pursued family planning programs aimed at controlling growth rates.

The dramatic population increase in Africa is particularly pronounced in the regions of East Africa, Middle Africa, and West Africa. These areas are projected to experience more than a fivefold increase in their populations throughout the 21st century. The most dramatic growth is expected in Middle Africa, where the population is estimated to rise by 680%, from less than 100 million in 2000 to more than 750 million by 2100, with over half of this growth driven by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, expected to see its population surge from 47 million in 2000 to 379 million by 2100. Population growth projections are less extreme for Southern Africa and North Africa, which are anticipated to nearly double and triple their populations, respectively, over the same period.

The linguistic and ethnic composition of Africa is diverse, with speakers of Bantu languages (part of the Niger–Congo family) predominantly found in southern, central, and southeast Africa. The Bantu farmers, originally from West Africa’s inland savannah, progressively expanded across most of Africa. Additionally, several Nilotic groups reside in South Sudan and East Africa, and the mixed Swahili people inhabit the Swahili Coast. The continent also hosts a few remaining indigenous Khoisan (San and Khoikhoi) and Pygmy peoples in southern and central Africa, respectively. Native Bantu-speaking populations are also predominant in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and found in parts of southern Cameroon. In Southern Africa’s Kalahari Desert, the distinct San people have long resided, forming the Khoisan group alongside the Khoikhoi. The San represent the pre-Bantu indigenous people of southern Africa, while Pygmies are the pre-Bantu indigenous peoples of Central Africa. In West Africa, the major linguistic groups are Niger–Congo speaking, primarily non-Bantu branches, although some Nilo-Saharan and Afroasiatic-speaking groups are also present. The largest and most influential ethnic groups in this region include the Niger–Congo-speaking Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, Akan, and Wolof. Additionally, Mandinka or Mande groups are significant in the central Sahara, while Chadic-speaking groups, including the Hausa, are prevalent in the northern areas closest to the Sahara. Nilo-Saharan communities such as the Kanuri, Zarma, and Songhai are found in eastern parts of West Africa bordering Central Africa.

In North Africa, the primary ethnic groups consist of Berbers in the northwest, Egyptians and Libyans in the northeast, and various Nilo-Saharan-speaking peoples in the east. The arrival of non-native Muslim settlers in the 7th century introduced Arabic and Islam to the region, initiating a linguistic Arabization of the inhabitants. The region also witnessed historical settlements by Semitic Phoenicians (who founded Carthage), Hyksos, Indo-Iranian Alans, Indo-European Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. Despite these influences, Berber-speaking populations remain significant within Morocco and Algeria, and are also present in smaller numbers in Tunisia and Libya. The Berber-speaking Tuareg and other often-nomadic peoples are the principal inhabitants of the Saharan interior of North Africa. In Mauritania, a small Berber community exists alongside Niger–Congo-speaking peoples in the south, although in both regions, Arabic and Arab culture predominate. In Sudan, while Arabic and Arab culture are dominant, the region is also home to originally Nilo-Saharan-speaking groups such as the Nubians, Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa, who have over the centuries intermixed with migrants from the Arabian peninsula. Small communities of Afro-Asiatic-speaking Beja nomads can also be found in Egypt and Sudan.

The Horn of Africa is predominantly inhabited by Afro-Asiatic-speaking groups. Ethiopian and Eritrean groups such as the Amhara and Tigreyans (collectively known as Habesha) speak languages from the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family, while the Oromo and Somali speak languages from the Cushitic branch. In southern Ethiopia and Eritrea, Nilotic peoples related to those in South Sudan are also found, and Bantu and Khoisan ethnic minorities inhabit parts of southern Somalia.

Prior to the decolonization movements of the post-World War II era, Europeans were represented in every part of Africa. Decolonization during the 1960s and 1970s often led to the mass emigration of European-descended settlers from Africa, particularly from Algeria and Morocco (1.6 million pieds-noirs in North Africa), Kenya, Congo, Rhodesia, Mozambique, and Angola. By the end of 1977, more than one million Portuguese had returned from Africa. Nevertheless, European Africans remain a minority in many African states, particularly in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Réunion. The African country with the largest native European African population is South Africa. The Boers or Afrikaners, the British diaspora, and the Coloureds (multiracial) are the largest European-descended groups in Africa today.

European colonization also introduced substantial numbers of Asians, particularly from the Indian subcontinent, to British colonies. Large Indian communities are found in South Africa, with smaller ones present in Kenya, Tanzania, and other southern and East African countries. The large Indian community in Uganda was expelled by the dictator Idi Amin in 1972, though many have since returned. The islands in the Indian Ocean are primarily populated by people of Asian origin, often mixed with Africans and Europeans. The Malagasy people of Madagascar are Austronesian people and native African people, but those along the coast are generally mixed with Bantu, Arab, Indian, and European origins. Malay and Indian ancestries are also significant components in the group of people known in South Africa as Cape Coloureds (people with origins in two or more races and continents). In the 21st century, many Hispanics, primarily from Mexico, Central America, Chile, Peru, and Colombia, have immigrated to Africa. Approximately 500,000 Hispanics have made their way to Africa, mostly settling in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ghana. During the 20th century, small but economically significant communities of Lebanese and Chinese also emerged in the major coastal cities of West and East Africa, respectively.