Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Tanzania
Tanzania: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Tanzania, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Tanzania stood at 2.9%.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Tanzania peaked at 3.8% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1996.
Tanzania ranks 19th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.4% | — |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 3.6% | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 3.6% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 3.6% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 3.6% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 3.5% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | -4.7% |
| 1980 | 3.2% | -6.0% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | +7.5% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | -7.1% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | -12.0% |
| 1990 | 2.6% | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | +25.6% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | +22.5% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -18.1% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -41.7% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +10.3% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +30.2% |
| 1999 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +10.0% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | -1.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 2.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 2.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Tanzania 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 | -41.7% | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| 1998 | +30.2% | 2.0% | 2.6% |
| 1993 | +25.6% | 2.5% | 3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 1.8% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.5% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 2.5% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
- 16 Mali 2.9% compare
- 17 Mozambique 2.9% compare
- 18 Mauritania 2.9% compare
- 20 Afghanistan 2.8% compare
- 21 Iceland 2.8% compare
- 22 Zambia 2.8% compare
More population data for Tanzania
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.36 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 129,932 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.69 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.089 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.868 (2100)
- Population density 296.72 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 20.58 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Tanzania?
- Population growth in Tanzania was 2.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 1994.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1996.
- How does Tanzania rank for population growth?
- Tanzania ranks 19th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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