Rank #158 by World Population

🇷🇼Rwanda

Rwanda has a population of 13,954,471, ranking #158 in the world. The capital is Kigali. Located in Sub-Saharan Africa .

World Bank: Low income

13,954,471

Population

#158

World Rank

67.8

Life Expectancy

$1,027

GDP Per Capita

Rwanda, #158 by world population

Rwanda Population History (1960-2024)

The country of Rwanda had a population of 3,022,294 in 1960 and 14,256,567 in 2024, a 4.7× growth over 64 years. The peak was 14,256,567 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.54%.

Rwanda population, 1960–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

14,256,567

Population (2024)

3,022,294

Population (1960)

14,256,567

Peak (2024)

2.54%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
1960	3,022,294	-	-	estimate
1961	3,106,779	+84,485	+2.80%	estimate
1962	3,186,025	+79,246	+2.55%	estimate
1963	3,258,890	+72,865	+2.29%	estimate
1964	3,334,834	+75,944	+2.33%	estimate
1965	3,423,210	+88,376	+2.65%	estimate
1966	3,521,626	+98,416	+2.87%	estimate
1967	3,629,577	+107,951	+3.07%	estimate
1968	3,744,010	+114,433	+3.15%	estimate
1969	3,861,271	+117,261	+3.13%	estimate
1970	3,980,669	+119,398	+3.09%	estimate
1971	4,100,044	+119,375	+3.00%	estimate
1972	4,220,335	+120,291	+2.93%	estimate
1973	4,345,047	+124,712	+2.96%	estimate
1974	4,474,228	+129,181	+2.97%	estimate
1975	4,607,728	+133,500	+2.98%	estimate
1976	4,745,954	+138,226	+3.00%	estimate
1977	4,888,240	+142,286	+3.00%	estimate
1978	5,035,171	+146,931	+3.01%	estimate
1979	5,189,541	+154,370	+3.07%	estimate
1980	5,353,259	+163,718	+3.15%	estimate
1981	5,527,230	+173,971	+3.25%	estimate
1982	5,711,549	+184,319	+3.33%	estimate
1983	5,905,311	+193,762	+3.39%	estimate
1984	6,107,627	+202,316	+3.43%	estimate
1985	6,317,228	+209,601	+3.43%	estimate
1986	6,531,881	+214,653	+3.40%	estimate
1987	6,749,493	+217,612	+3.33%	estimate
1988	6,968,071	+218,578	+3.24%	estimate
1989	7,184,706	+216,635	+3.11%	estimate
1990	7,375,307	+190,601	+2.65%	estimate
1991	7,526,966	+151,659	+2.06%	estimate
1992	7,683,266	+156,300	+2.08%	estimate
1993	7,981,132	+297,866	+3.88%	estimate
1994	6,792,352	-1,188,780	-14.89%	estimate
1995	5,674,118	-1,118,234	-16.46%	estimate
1996	6,708,764	+1,034,646	+18.23%	estimate
1997	7,755,238	+1,046,474	+15.60%	estimate
1998	8,081,681	+326,443	+4.21%	estimate
1999	8,147,912	+66,231	+0.82%	estimate
2000	8,213,931	+66,019	+0.81%	estimate
2001	8,287,094	+73,163	+0.89%	estimate
2002	8,400,180	+113,086	+1.36%	estimate
2003	8,586,875	+186,695	+2.22%	estimate
2004	8,816,844	+229,969	+2.68%	estimate
2005	9,054,528	+237,684	+2.70%	estimate
2006	9,299,246	+244,718	+2.70%	estimate
2007	9,549,933	+250,687	+2.70%	estimate
2008	9,804,269	+254,336	+2.66%	estimate
2009	10,060,432	+256,163	+2.61%	estimate
2010	10,317,553	+257,121	+2.56%	estimate
2011	10,573,733	+256,180	+2.48%	estimate
2012	10,829,901	+256,168	+2.42%	estimate
2013	11,093,340	+263,439	+2.43%	estimate
2014	11,364,757	+271,417	+2.45%	estimate
2015	11,640,022	+275,265	+2.42%	estimate
2016	11,919,183	+279,161	+2.40%	estimate
2017	12,202,060	+282,877	+2.37%	estimate
2018	12,487,996	+285,936	+2.34%	estimate
2019	12,776,103	+288,107	+2.31%	estimate
2020	13,065,837	+289,734	+2.27%	estimate
2021	13,355,260	+289,423	+2.22%	estimate
2022	13,651,030	+295,770	+2.21%	estimate
2023	13,954,471	+303,441	+2.22%	estimate
2024	14,256,567	+302,096	+2.16%	estimate

Demographics

Population	13,954,471
Population Growth Rate	2.20%
Urban Population	28.9%
Fertility Rate	3.70 births/woman
Life Expectancy	67.8 years
Infant Mortality Rate	30.1 per 1,000
Literacy Rate	80.1%

Economy & Trade

$1,027

GDP Per Capita

12.4%

Unemployment Rate

Low income

Income Level

39.4

Gini Index (inequality)

64.9%

Trade (% of GDP)

Health & Education

5.1%

Health Expenditure (% GDP)

0.09

Physicians per 1,000

4.9%

Education Expenditure (% GDP)

80.1%

Literacy Rate

30.1

Infant Mortality (per 1,000)

Development & Connectivity

63.9%

Electricity Access

28.0%

Internet Users

Mobile Subs per 100

565.6

People per km2

-9,001

Net Migration

Environment

11.3%

Forest Area

Other Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi

Rwanda in global context

Rwanda is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.

World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →

Other related entities

Angola (36,749,906)Benin (14,111,034)Botswana (2,480,244)Burkina Faso (23,025,776)Burundi (13,689,450)All countries →

Country rankings

Populated Countries in the World Countries With Highest GDP Per Capita Countries With Highest Life Expectancy Countries With Highest Fertility Rates Countries With Highest Literacy Rates Urbanized Countries in the World Fastest Growing Countries by Population Countries With Highest Infant Mortality Countries With Highest Income Inequality Countries With Most International Tourism All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Rwanda has a population of 13,954,471, ranking #158 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 2.20%.

Life expectancy in Rwanda is 67.8 years. The infant mortality rate is 30.1 per 1,000 live births.

Rwanda's GDP per capita is $1,027. It is classified as a low income country by the World Bank.

28.9% of Rwanda's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 565.6 people per square kilometer.

The adult literacy rate in Rwanda is 80.1%. The country spends 4.9% of GDP on education.

Sources: World Bank Open Data

International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.

With 13,954,471 residents, Rwanda is a country in Sub-Saharan Africa . The population is expanding fast — roughly 2.2% annually.

GDP per capita is roughly $1,027, placing Rwanda among lower-income economies. Life expectancy is 67.8 years, below the global average, with a fertility rate of 3.7 births per woman, and 28.9% of the population lives in urban areas.

Source: World Bank Open Data, 2026.