Population growth rate in Uganda
Uganda: Population growth rate was 2.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population growth rate in Uganda, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rate in Uganda is 2.8%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Uganda peaked at 3.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 1980.
Uganda ranks 22nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population growth rate in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.7% | — |
| 1951 | 2.8% | +0.2% |
| 1952 | 2.8% | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 2.8% | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 2.9% | +0.6% |
| 1956 | 2.9% | +0.4% |
| 1957 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1958 | 2.9% | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 2.9% | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 2.8% | -2.9% |
| 1961 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 2.9% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 3.0% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 3.1% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 3.1% | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 3.2% | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 3.1% | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 2.7% | -9.7% |
| 1972 | 2.3% | -14.8% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 2.6% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 2.6% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -18.2% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | -8.4% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +10.0% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +11.0% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.8% | +11.8% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 3.2% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 3.2% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | -32.8% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +44.9% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -17.9% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | +26.8% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -4.7% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | -6.4% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +14.2% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -1.7% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 2.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.7%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 2.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate in Uganda 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 | +44.9% | 2.2% | 3.2% |
| 1995 | -32.8% | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| 1998 | +26.8% | 2.6% | 3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.7% | 2.0% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More population data for Uganda
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 87,622 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.53 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8617 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 602.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.91 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Uganda?
- Population growth rate in Uganda was 2.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 1980.
- How does Uganda rank for population growth rate?
- Uganda ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.