According to the African Exponent website, Tunisia ranks as the most urbanized country in North Africa in 2025, with an urbanization rate of 70.88%.
Urbanization refers to the phenomenon where a growing share of the population lives in cities rather than in rural areas. It reflects not only demographic transformations but also the economic, social, and political changes that impact a country’s development.
In 1950, less than 15% of Africans lived in cities. By 2025, this proportion is approaching 50%, and is expected to exceed 60% by 2050, according to data from The African Exponent website.
To provide a precise overview of urbanization in Africa in 2025, the site presented a ranking of the most urbanized African countries, based on the latest available data for each country.
According to this ranking, Tunisia is the most urbanized country in North Africa, ranking 7th on the continent.
With an urbanization rate of 70.88%, the country stands out as “one of the most structurally organized and spatially balanced nations in the region.”
The site also explains that the Tunisian urban population is mainly concentrated along the coastal strip, from Tunis to Sousse, Sfax, and Bizerte.
Unlike many African countries where a single megacity dominates, the Tunisian urban network is polycentric, supported by medium-sized cities that play a central role as regional economic hubs.
Since the post-2011 decentralization, regional and local authorities have gradually been given more planning responsibilities.
For comparison, in 2023, Tunisia was third in North Africa, behind Algeria and Morocco, according to the World Bank.
In the rest of the African continent, Gabon tops the ranking with an urbanization rate of 91.31%.
This exceptional figure results from deliberate state planning, modernization centered on the exploitation of natural resources, and a relatively high population density for the region.
It is followed by Libya, with a rate of 81.91%, placing the country among the most urbanized societies in Africa and the Arab world, largely due to its oil resources which have concentrated population and investments in coastal cities.
Djibouti, with 78.73% of its population living in urban areas, stands out for a territory with less than one million inhabitants and only 23,000 km².
São Tomé and Príncipe comes next with 77.01%, followed by Equatorial Guinea at 74.87%, rounding out the top 5.
Other countries, such as Botswana, the Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Angola, complete the top 10.
