Sudan

Sudan’s 51.6 million population ranks it eighth — a surprise given ongoing conflict, demonstrating that war slows but does not halt demographic expansion. Its growth rate of 2.5% per year adds 1.3 million people annually, faster than #7 Kenya’s 2.3% despite economic instability. One concrete metric: 60% of the population is under 30, creating a youthful bulge that could either drive recovery or strain resources. Compared to #6 South Africa’s sluggish growth, Sudan’s resilience shows that conflict alone does not curb numbers — but GDP per capita at $752 remains 75% lower than the sub-Saharan average.