Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Canada
Canada: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 3.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Population growth in Canada, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Canada stood at 3.0%. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 195.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Canada peaked at 3.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2021.
Canada ranks 15th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Canada, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.4% | — |
| 1971 | 2.9% | +110.9% |
| 1972 | 1.2% | -60.6% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 1.4% | +14.2% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -9.8% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -11.1% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -14.9% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | +30.3% |
| 1981 | 1.2% | -4.4% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -16.9% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -4.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | +32.6% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +38.4% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -16.0% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -17.6% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | -16.5% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | +14.6% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 0.9% | -17.1% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | +11.7% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -12.2% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -24.1% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | +48.8% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +19.9% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -25.8% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -48.9% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | +225.7% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | +61.0% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | +2.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 3.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 5.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Canada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +225.7% | 0.6% | 1.8% |
| 1971 | +110.9% | 1.4% | 2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 0.6% | 3.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 12 Democratic Republic of Congo 3.2% compare
- 13 Angola 3.0% compare
- 14 Yemen 3.0% compare
- 16 Mali 2.9% compare
- 17 Mozambique 2.9% compare
- 18 Mauritania 2.9% compare
More population data for Canada
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2634 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 45,891 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7644 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.3863 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.327 (2100)
- Population density 6.1 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.33 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Canada?
- Population growth in Canada was 3.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2021.
- How does Canada rank for population growth?
- Canada ranks 15th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 195.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release