Population growth rates in Kenya
Kenya: Population growth rates was 1.97 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.97
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
53rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.02
in 1965
All-time low
1.85
in 2021
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population growth rates in Kenya, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rates in Kenya is 1.97, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rates in Kenya peaked at 4.02 in 1965 and was at its lowest, 1.85, in 2021.
Kenya ranks 53rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Population growth rates in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.99 | — |
| 1951 | 2.27 | +13.8% |
| 1952 | 2.42 | +6.4% |
| 1953 | 2.52 | +4.1% |
| 1954 | 2.73 | +8.3% |
| 1955 | 2.9 | +6.4% |
| 1956 | 3.08 | +6.3% |
| 1957 | 3.27 | +5.9% |
| 1958 | 3.25 | -0.6% |
| 1959 | 3.54 | +9.1% |
| 1960 | 3.67 | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 3.79 | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 3.86 | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 3.91 | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 3.95 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 4.02 | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 3.96 | -1.5% |
| 1967 | 3.98 | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 3.93 | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 3.92 | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 3.78 | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 3.48 | -8.0% |
| 1972 | 3.48 | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 3.43 | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 3.34 | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 3.3 | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 3.19 | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 3.44 | +7.8% |
| 1978 | 3.44 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.49 | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 3.6 | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 3.55 | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 3.6 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 3.7 | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 3.65 | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 3.63 | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 3.53 | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 3.52 | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 3.53 | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 3.48 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 3.4 | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 3.09 | -9.2% |
| 1992 | 3.04 | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 2.9 | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 2.91 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 2.77 | -4.8% |
| 1996 | 2.74 | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 2.73 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 2.79 | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 2.98 | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 3.05 | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 3.22 | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 3.07 | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 3.1 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 3.11 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 3.03 | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.06 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 2.99 | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 3.07 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 2.97 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 2.83 | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 2.67 | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 2.55 | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 2.4 | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 2.28 | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 2.17 | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 2.24 | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 2.11 | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 1.96 | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 1.97 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.95 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 1.85 | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 2 | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 1.97 | -1.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.97 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.7, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.97 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.35, 84% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.8 | 1.99 | 3.54 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.9 | 3.67 | 4.02 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.44 | 3.19 | 3.78 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.58 | 3.48 | 3.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.93 | 2.73 | 3.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.07 | 2.97 | 3.22 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.32 | 1.96 | 2.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.94 | 1.85 | 2 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 50 Nigeria 2.1 compare
- 51 Uzbekistan 2.01 compare
- 52 Sao Tome and Principe 2 compare
- 54 Cayman Islands 1.97 compare
- 55 Seychelles 1.96 compare
- 56 Tajikistan 1.96 compare
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)
- Population growth rate -0.038 (2100)
- Population density 183.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 6.40 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rates in Kenya?
- Population growth rates in Kenya was 1.97 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rates recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 4.02 in 1965.
- What is the lowest population growth rates recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.85 in 2021.
- How does Kenya rank for population growth rates?
- Kenya ranks 53rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rates rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).