Contraceptive use — all countries

Contraceptive use — Sub-Saharan Africa

Contraceptive use in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021 — 32.1%. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 16.9 pp.

2021 32.1% +8.3 pp vs 2010
World rank
Period maximum 32.1%2021
Period minimum 15.1%1990

Trend over time

1990–2021 · % of women aged 15–49

Contraceptive use — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–202115202530351990199419982002200620102014201820211990: 15.1%2000: 22.2%2010: 23.8%2021: 32.1%
Change over the period: +16.9 pp Annual average: 0.55 pp
Contraceptive use — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 32.1
2010 23.8
2000 22.2
1990 15.1

About the indicator

The share of women aged 15–49 who are married or in a union and use any method of contraception. The indicator explains fertility better than income or education taken separately: in most countries the fall in fertility followed the rise of this share rather than the other way around. All methods are counted, including traditional ones, so the value is higher than the share using modern means.

Important: Only women in a marriage or a union — unmarried women are not in the denominator, and in countries where marriage comes late this noticeably changes the picture. The data come from household surveys, and the years are intermittent.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.