Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda
Rwanda: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 163.22 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda stood at 163.22 people per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 112.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda peaked at 163.22 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.36 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Rwanda ranks 46th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.36 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 3.52 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1963 | 3.67 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 3.83 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 4 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1966 | 4.19 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1967 | 4.41 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1968 | 4.65 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1969 | 4.92 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1970 | 5.22 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 5.6 people per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1972 | 6.07 people per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1973 | 6.61 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1974 | 7.2 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 7.82 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1976 | 8.44 people per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1977 | 9.02 people per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1978 | 9.54 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 10 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 10.45 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 10.91 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 11.37 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 11.84 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 12.33 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 12.84 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 13.37 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 13.93 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 14.52 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 15.14 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 15.77 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 16.36 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 17.64 people per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 1993 | 20.71 people per square kilometre | +17.4% |
| 1994 | 20.6 people per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 20.28 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 28.01 people per square kilometre | +38.1% |
| 1997 | 37.2 people per square kilometre | +32.8% |
| 1998 | 43.65 people per square kilometre | +17.3% |
| 1999 | 48.46 people per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 52.54 people per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 2001 | 55.59 people per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 57.47 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 58.81 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 60.41 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 62.05 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 63.75 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 65.48 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 67.23 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 69 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 70.79 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 72.57 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 74.37 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 76.78 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 80.63 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 85.85 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2016 | 92.38 people per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 100.15 people per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 2018 | 109.05 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 2019 | 118.96 people per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 129.77 people per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 141.32 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 153.72 people per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 2023 | 163.22 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 163.22 people per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 people per square kilometre, 7.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 163.22 people per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 5.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +38.1% | 20.28 people per square kilometre | 28.01 people per square kilometre |
| 1997 | +32.8% | 28.01 people per square kilometre | 37.2 people per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.06 people per square kilometre | 3.36 people per square kilometre | 4.92 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.55 people per square kilometre | 5.22 people per square kilometre | 10 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.67 people per square kilometre | 10.45 people per square kilometre | 15.14 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.87 people per square kilometre | 15.77 people per square kilometre | 48.46 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.23 people per square kilometre | 52.54 people per square kilometre | 69 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.15 people per square kilometre | 70.79 people per square kilometre | 118.96 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 147.01 people per square kilometre | 129.77 people per square kilometre | 163.22 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 43 India 169.62 people per square kilometre compare
- 44 Marshall Islands 169.03 people per square kilometre compare
- 45 Sao Tome and Principe 164.99 people per square kilometre compare
- 47 Trinidad and Tobago 158.07 people per square kilometre compare
- 48 Nigeria 155.57 people per square kilometre compare
- 49 Jamaica 153.27 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Rwanda
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 23,030 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.01 million people (2100)
- Population density 1,329 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Rwanda was 163.22 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 163.22 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.36 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Rwanda rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Rwanda ranks 46th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.