Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been rapidly urbanizing for many years. Current estimates from the UN are that urban population growth in East Africa is over 4% per year, while in Southern Africa, which has higher urbanization levels, the growth is estimated at 2%. Overall in East and Southern Africa (ESA), urban populations in the region are growing about 3% per year, but with great variability as these figures indicate. Rural populations, meanwhile, are estimated to be increasing only by 2% per year in East Africa and near zero in Southern Africa. Across ESA, rural populations are rising about 1% per year but again with much variation across countries and regions.