Central African Republic — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Central African Republic, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Central African Republic was 3.37% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.40% in 2024. The lowest was -0.80% in 2010 (about -4.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.92% per year.
Central African Republic ranks 7 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 3%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Central African Republic sits above it. It peaked in 2024 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 2438%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 2 of 48 economies; Somalia, Fed. Rep. (3.34%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 1261% in 2016. That is 110% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 76 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 136th of 216 in 1961 → 110th of 216 in 1970 → 152nd of 216 in 1980 → 38th of 216 in 1990 → 34th of 217 in 2000 → 210th of 217 in 2010 → 72nd of 217 in 2020 → 7th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 3.4% | +2.3 pp |
| 2023 | 1.06% | +1.3 pp |
| 2022 | -0.28% | -2.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 1.64% | +0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 1.34% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 1.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 1.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.81% | +1.7 pp |
| 2015 | 0.13% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | -0.42% | -1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 0.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 1% | -0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 1.59% | +2.4 pp |
| 2010 | -0.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | -0.66% | -2.8 pp |
| 2008 | 2.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 1.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 2.05% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 2.26% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 2.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 2.39% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 2.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.22% | -0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 2.75% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 2.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 2.71% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.75% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 2.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 2.73% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 3.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 3.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 3.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 3.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 3.11% | +0.6 pp |
| 1989 | 2.55% | +0.9 pp |
| 1988 | 1.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 1.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 1.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 1.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 1.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 1.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 1.16% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 1.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 1.07% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 1.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 1.03% | -0.5 pp |
| 1976 | 1.49% | -0.5 pp |
| 1975 | 1.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 1.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 1.92% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 1.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 2.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 2.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.18% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 2.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 1.91% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 1.88% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Central African Republic’s Population growth in 1962?
1.91% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Central African Republic’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +79.5% in total — about 0.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 3.37%; 2024: 3.4%; 2023: 1.06%; 2022: -0.28%; 2021: 1.69%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.