Annual change in population in Kenya
Kenya: Annual change in population was 1.09 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.09 million people
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
17th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.20 million people
in 2009
All-time low
124,386 people
in 1951
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Kenya, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual change in population in Kenya is 1.09 million people, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Kenya peaked at 1.20 million people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 124,386 people, in 1951.
That places Kenya 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual change in population in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 124,386 people | — |
| 1952 | 139,720 people | +12.3% |
| 1953 | 150,604 people | +7.8% |
| 1954 | 164,243 people | +9.1% |
| 1955 | 181,158 people | +10.3% |
| 1956 | 198,384 people | +9.5% |
| 1957 | 217,188 people | +9.5% |
| 1958 | 229,921 people | +5.9% |
| 1959 | 247,948 people | +7.8% |
| 1960 | 272,568 people | +9.9% |
| 1961 | 292,458 people | +7.3% |
| 1962 | 311,543 people | +6.5% |
| 1963 | 328,661 people | +5.5% |
| 1964 | 345,567 people | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 364,545 people | +5.5% |
| 1966 | 379,741 people | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 393,236 people | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 407,767 people | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 420,869 people | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 429,109 people | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 420,100 people | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 417,157 people | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 428,778 people | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 435,237 people | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 441,594 people | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 445,948 people | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 471,204 people | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 505,303 people | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 526,541 people | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 557,797 people | +5.9% |
| 1981 | 583,045 people | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 604,667 people | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 640,197 people | +5.9% |
| 1984 | 668,534 people | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 686,864 people | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 699,871 people | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 714,448 people | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 740,131 people | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 762,215 people | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 774,218 people | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 753,859 people | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 735,952 people | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 734,726 people | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 739,944 people | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 744,617 people | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 742,458 people | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 757,551 people | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 786,301 people | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 845,350 people | +7.5% |
| 2000 | 909,480 people | +7.6% |
| 2001 | 976,277 people | +7.3% |
| 2002 | 1.01 million people | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 1.02 million people | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 1.06 million people | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 1.08 million people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 1.11 million people | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 1.13 million people | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 1.17 million people | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 1.20 million people | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 1.19 million people | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 1.16 million people | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 1.13 million people | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 1.10 million people | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 1.06 million people | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 1.04 million people | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 1.05 million people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 1.06 million people | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.01 million people | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 995,720 people | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 1.01 million people | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.00 million people | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.03 million people | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 1.09 million people | +5.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.09 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 167,005 people, 6.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.09 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 359,940 people, 3.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 183,728 people | 124,386 people | 247,948 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 351,696 people | 272,568 people | 420,869 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 452,097 people | 417,157 people | 526,541 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 665,777 people | 557,797 people | 762,215 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 761,498 people | 734,726 people | 845,350 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.07 million people | 909,480 people | 1.20 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.08 million people | 995,720 people | 1.19 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.03 million people | 1.00 million people | 1.09 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1094 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 85,212 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7363 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Kenya?
- Annual change in population in Kenya was 1.09 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.20 million people in 2009.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 124,386 people in 1951.
- How does Kenya rank for annual change in population?
- Kenya ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.