| Current Rank | Country | Value | Latest Reading | Previous Rank | Previous Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niger | 3.75 | 2021 | 1 | 3.77 |
| 2 ↑ | Equatorial Guinea | 3.29 | 2021 | 3 | 3.53 |
| 3 ↓ | Uganda | 3.27 | 2020 | 2 | 3.54 |
| 4 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 3.14 | 2020 | 4 | 3.26 |
| 5 | Burundi | 3.02 | 2021 | 5 | 3.08 |
| 6 | Chad | 2.96 | 2020 | 6 | 3.02 |
| 7 | Mali | 2.94 | 2021 | 7 | 3 |
| 7 ↑ | Burkina Faso | 2.94 | 2015 | 8 | 2.96 |
| 9 | Zambia | 2.91 | 2018 | 9 | 2.95 |
| 9 ↑ | Tanzania | 2.91 | 2021 | 10 | 2.94 |
| 11 ↑ | Somalia | 2.89 | 2021 | 13 | 2.87 |
| 12 ↓ | Gambia | 2.87 | 2021 | 11 | 2.92 |
| 13 ↓ | Mozambique | 2.86 | 2021 | 12 | 2.89 |
| 14 | Guinea | 2.74 | 2021 | 14 | 2.79 |
| 15 ↑ | Benin | 2.67 | 2021 | 16 | 2.72 |
| 15 ↑ | Senegal | 2.67 | 2021 | 17 | 2.71 |
| 15 ↑ | Malawi | 2.67 | 2021 | 18 | 2.65 |
| 18 ↓ | Mauritania | 2.66 | 2021 | 15 | 2.78 |
| 19 | Madagascar | 2.62 | 2021 | 19 | 2.64 |
| 20 ↑ | Ivory Coast | 2.53 | 2021 | 25 | 2.54 |
| 21 ↑ | Nigeria | 2.52 | 2021 | 25 | 2.54 |
| 21 ↑ | Cameroon | 2.52 | 2021 | 23 | 2.55 |
| 23 ↓ | Ethiopia | 2.5 | 2021 | 21 | 2.58 |
| 24 ↓ | Republic of the Congo | 2.49 | 2021 | 22 | 2.56 |
| 25 ↓ | Rwanda | 2.47 | 2021 | 19 | 2.64 |
| 26 ↓ | Liberia | 2.45 | 2018 | 23 | 2.55 |
| 27 ↑ | Guinea-Bissau | 2.42 | 2020 | 28 | 2.46 |
| 28 ↑ | Sudan | 2.39 | 2021 | 30 | 2.39 |
| 29 | Togo | 2.38 | 2021 | 29 | 2.42 |
| 30 ↓ | Gabon | 2.36 | 2021 | 27 | 2.48 |
| 31 | Kenya | 2.23 | 2021 | 31 | 2.25 |
| 32 | Ghana | 2.16 | 2019 | 32 | 2.19 |
| 33 ↑ | Comoros | 2.15 | 2021 | 34 | 2.17 |
| 34 ↑ | Sierra Leone | 2.04 | 2021 | 35 | 2.07 |
| 35 ↑ | Egypt | 1.98 | 2019 | 36 | 2.03 |
| 36 ↓ | Botswana | 1.92 | 2021 | 33 | 2.18 |
| 37 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1.9 | 2021 | 37 | 1.89 |
| 38 ↑ | Central African Republic | 1.85 | 2021 | 40 | 1.77 |
| 39 ↓ | Namibia | 1.81 | 2021 | 38 | 1.87 |
| 40 ↓ | Algeria | 1.73 | 2021 | 39 | 1.84 |
| 41 ↑ | Djibouti | 1.47 | 2020 | 42 | 1.51 |
| 41 ↑ | Zimbabwe | 1.47 | 2020 | 43 | 1.41 |
| 43 ↓ | Eritrea | 1.36 | 2011 | 41 | 1.61 |
| 44 | Libya | 1.26 | 2021 | 44 | 1.38 |
| 45 | South Africa | 1.23 | 2021 | 45 | 1.27 |
| 46 | Morocco | 1.17 | 2021 | 46 | 1.22 |
| 47 ↑ | Cape Verde | 1.06 | 2021 | 48 | 1.13 |
| 48 ↑ | Swaziland | 1.04 | 2020 | 50 | 1.04 |
| 49 | Tunisia | 0.99 | 2021 | 49 | 1.05 |
| 50 ↑ | Lesotho | 0.78 | 2021 | 51 | 0.8 |
| 51 ↓ | Seychelles | 0.75 | 2021 | 46 | 1.22 |
| 52 | Mauritius | 0.03 | 2021 | 52 | 0.03 |
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.
