Share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda
Rwanda: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 25.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
25.7%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
190th
of 202 countries
All-time high
25.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda stood at 25.7%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda peaked at 25.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Rwanda 190th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 1.8% | +2.8% |
| 1952 | 1.9% | +2.8% |
| 1953 | 1.9% | +2.8% |
| 1954 | 2.0% | +2.8% |
| 1955 | 2.0% | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 2.1% | +2.9% |
| 1957 | 2.2% | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 2.2% | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 2.3% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 2.4% | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 2.4% | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 2.5% | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 2.9% | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 3.1% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +4.4% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 3.7% | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 3.8% | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 4.0% | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 4.2% | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 4.4% | +4.5% |
| 1978 | 4.6% | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 4.7% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 4.7% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 4.8% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 4.8% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 4.9% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 5.1% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 5.2% | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 5.4% | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 5.5% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 5.6% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 5.4% | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | +7.6% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | +7.5% |
| 1994 | 7.0% | +9.6% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | +15.0% |
| 1996 | 8.6% | +5.8% |
| 1997 | 9.5% | +11.2% |
| 1998 | 10.8% | +13.7% |
| 1999 | 12.2% | +12.9% |
| 2000 | 13.5% | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 15.1% | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 16.2% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 16.7% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 17.3% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 17.8% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 18.3% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 18.9% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 19.3% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 19.7% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 20.2% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 20.6% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 21.0% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 21.5% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 21.9% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 22.4% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 22.8% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 23.2% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 23.7% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 24.2% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 24.7% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 25.2% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 25.7% | +1.9% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 25.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 40.5%, 63% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 25.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 56% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1870s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.9% | 3.2% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 5.4% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 13.5% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.8% | 18.9% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.5% | 23.2% | 25.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More population data for Rwanda
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5502 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 23,030 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.06 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 1,329 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.01 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Rwanda was 25.7% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 25.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Rwanda rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Rwanda ranks 190th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.