What is population in Kenya?

Population in Kenya was 55.34 million people in 2023, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest population recorded in Kenya?

The highest recorded value was 55.34 million people in 2023.

What is the lowest population recorded in Kenya?

The lowest recorded value was 800,000 people in 1000.

How does Kenya rank for population?

Kenya ranks 27th out of 239 countries with data for 2023.

Is population rising or falling in Kenya?

Over the last ten years it is up 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Kenya data come from?

The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population in Kenya

Name: Population in Kenya
Creator: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Kenya: Population was 55.34 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

55.34 million people

Change on year

up 2.0%

World rank

27th

of 239 countries

All-time high

55.34 million people

in 2023

All-time low

800,000 people

in 1000

Years of data

241

1000–2023

Population in Kenya, 1000–2023

Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population in Kenya is 55.34 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 241 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 23.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population in Kenya peaked at 55.34 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 800,000 people, in 1000.

Kenya ranks 27th of 239 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Population in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Population in Kenya, 1000 to 2023.
Year	people	Change
1000	800,000 people	—
1100	940,000 people	+17.5%
1200	1.08 million people	+14.9%
1300	1.22 million people	+13.0%
1400	1.36 million people	+11.5%
1500	1.50 million people	+10.3%
1600	1.75 million people	+16.7%
1700	2.00 million people	+14.3%
1710	2.05 million people	+2.4%
1720	2.07 million people	+1.1%
1730	2.10 million people	+1.2%
1740	2.12 million people	+1.2%
1750	2.15 million people	+1.3%
1760	2.18 million people	+1.4%
1770	2.21 million people	+1.4%
1780	2.24 million people	+1.5%
1790	2.28 million people	+1.6%
1800	2.57 million people	+12.9%
1801	2.59 million people	+0.5%
1802	2.60 million people	+0.5%
1803	2.62 million people	+0.5%
1804	2.63 million people	+0.5%
1805	2.64 million people	+0.5%
1806	2.66 million people	+0.5%
1807	2.67 million people	+0.5%
1808	2.69 million people	+0.5%
1809	2.70 million people	+0.5%
1810	2.71 million people	+0.5%
1811	2.73 million people	+0.5%
1812	2.74 million people	+0.5%
1813	2.76 million people	+0.5%
1814	2.77 million people	+0.5%
1815	2.79 million people	+0.5%
1816	2.80 million people	+0.5%
1817	2.82 million people	+0.5%
1818	2.83 million people	+0.5%
1819	2.85 million people	+0.5%
1820	2.86 million people	+0.5%
1821	2.88 million people	+0.5%
1822	2.89 million people	+0.5%
1823	2.91 million people	+0.5%
1824	2.92 million people	+0.5%
1825	2.94 million people	+0.5%
1826	2.95 million people	+0.5%
1827	2.97 million people	+0.5%
1828	2.98 million people	+0.5%
1829	3.00 million people	+0.5%
1830	3.02 million people	+0.5%
1831	3.03 million people	+0.5%
1832	3.05 million people	+0.5%
1833	3.06 million people	+0.5%
1834	3.08 million people	+0.5%
1835	3.10 million people	+0.5%
1836	3.11 million people	+0.5%
1837	3.13 million people	+0.5%
1838	3.15 million people	+0.5%
1839	3.16 million people	+0.5%
1840	3.18 million people	+0.5%
1841	3.20 million people	+0.5%
1842	3.21 million people	+0.5%
1843	3.23 million people	+0.5%
1844	3.25 million people	+0.5%
1845	3.27 million people	+0.5%
1846	3.28 million people	+0.5%
1847	3.30 million people	+0.5%
1848	3.32 million people	+0.5%
1849	3.34 million people	+0.5%
1850	3.35 million people	+0.6%
1851	3.37 million people	+0.5%
1852	3.39 million people	+0.5%
1853	3.41 million people	+0.5%
1854	3.42 million people	+0.5%
1855	3.44 million people	+0.5%
1856	3.46 million people	+0.5%
1857	3.48 million people	+0.5%
1858	3.49 million people	+0.5%
1859	3.51 million people	+0.5%
1860	3.53 million people	+0.5%
1861	3.55 million people	+0.5%
1862	3.57 million people	+0.5%
1863	3.58 million people	+0.5%
1864	3.60 million people	+0.5%
1865	3.62 million people	+0.5%
1866	3.64 million people	+0.5%
1867	3.66 million people	+0.5%
1868	3.68 million people	+0.5%
1869	3.70 million people	+0.5%
1870	3.72 million people	+0.6%
1871	3.74 million people	+0.6%
1872	3.76 million people	+0.6%
1873	3.78 million people	+0.6%
1874	3.81 million people	+0.6%
1875	3.83 million people	+0.6%
1876	3.85 million people	+0.6%
1877	3.88 million people	+0.6%
1878	3.90 million people	+0.6%
1879	3.93 million people	+0.6%
1880	3.95 million people	+0.6%
1881	3.97 million people	+0.6%
1882	4.00 million people	+0.6%
1883	4.02 million people	+0.6%
1884	4.05 million people	+0.6%
1885	4.07 million people	+0.6%
1886	4.10 million people	+0.6%
1887	4.12 million people	+0.6%
1888	4.15 million people	+0.6%
1889	4.16 million people	+0.4%
1890	4.17 million people	+0.1%
1891	4.16 million people	-0.1%
1892	4.15 million people	-0.3%
1893	4.12 million people	-0.6%
1894	4.10 million people	-0.6%
1895	4.08 million people	-0.6%
1896	4.05 million people	-0.6%
1897	4.03 million people	-0.6%
1898	4.00 million people	-0.6%
1899	3.98 million people	-0.6%
1900	3.95 million people	-0.7%
1901	3.92 million people	-0.8%
1902	3.89 million people	-0.8%
1903	3.85 million people	-0.9%
1904	3.82 million people	-0.9%
1905	3.79 million people	-0.9%
1906	3.75 million people	-0.9%
1907	3.72 million people	-0.9%
1908	3.69 million people	-0.9%
1909	3.66 million people	-0.8%
1910	3.63 million people	-0.7%
1911	3.61 million people	-0.5%
1912	3.60 million people	-0.4%
1913	3.59 million people	-0.3%
1914	3.58 million people	-0.3%
1915	3.57 million people	-0.3%
1916	3.56 million people	-0.3%
1917	3.55 million people	-0.3%
1918	3.54 million people	-0.2%
1919	3.55 million people	+0.2%
1920	3.57 million people	+0.6%
1921	3.60 million people	+0.9%
1922	3.65 million people	+1.3%
1923	3.71 million people	+1.7%
1924	3.77 million people	+1.7%
1925	3.84 million people	+1.7%
1926	3.90 million people	+1.7%
1927	3.97 million people	+1.7%
1928	4.04 million people	+1.7%
1929	4.10 million people	+1.6%
1930	4.17 million people	+1.6%
1931	4.23 million people	+1.5%
1932	4.29 million people	+1.5%
1933	4.35 million people	+1.4%
1934	4.41 million people	+1.4%
1935	4.47 million people	+1.4%
1936	4.54 million people	+1.4%
1937	4.60 million people	+1.4%
1938	4.67 million people	+1.4%
1939	4.73 million people	+1.5%
1940	4.81 million people	+1.6%
1941	4.89 million people	+1.6%
1942	4.97 million people	+1.7%
1943	5.06 million people	+1.8%
1944	5.15 million people	+1.8%
1945	5.25 million people	+1.8%
1946	5.34 million people	+1.8%
1947	5.44 million people	+1.8%
1948	5.53 million people	+1.8%
1949	5.65 million people	+2.0%
1950	5.77 million people	+2.2%
1951	5.89 million people	+2.2%
1952	6.03 million people	+2.4%
1953	6.18 million people	+2.5%
1954	6.35 million people	+2.7%
1955	6.53 million people	+2.9%
1956	6.73 million people	+3.0%
1957	6.94 million people	+3.2%
1958	7.17 million people	+3.3%
1959	7.42 million people	+3.5%
1960	7.70 million people	+3.7%
1961	7.99 million people	+3.8%
1962	8.30 million people	+3.9%
1963	8.63 million people	+4.0%
1964	8.97 million people	+4.0%
1965	9.34 million people	+4.1%
1966	9.72 million people	+4.1%
1967	10.11 million people	+4.0%
1968	10.52 million people	+4.0%
1969	10.94 million people	+4.0%
1970	11.37 million people	+3.9%
1971	11.79 million people	+3.7%
1972	12.21 million people	+3.5%
1973	12.63 million people	+3.5%
1974	13.07 million people	+3.4%
1975	13.51 million people	+3.4%
1976	13.96 million people	+3.3%
1977	14.43 million people	+3.4%
1978	14.93 million people	+3.5%
1979	15.46 million people	+3.5%
1980	16.02 million people	+3.6%
1981	16.60 million people	+3.6%
1982	17.21 million people	+3.6%
1983	17.85 million people	+3.7%
1984	18.51 million people	+3.7%
1985	19.20 million people	+3.7%
1986	19.90 million people	+3.6%
1987	20.62 million people	+3.6%
1988	21.36 million people	+3.6%
1989	22.12 million people	+3.6%
1990	22.89 million people	+3.5%
1991	23.65 million people	+3.3%
1992	24.38 million people	+3.1%
1993	25.12 million people	+3.0%
1994	25.86 million people	+2.9%
1995	26.60 million people	+2.9%
1996	27.34 million people	+2.8%
1997	28.10 million people	+2.8%
1998	28.89 million people	+2.8%
1999	29.73 million people	+2.9%
2000	30.64 million people	+3.1%
2001	31.62 million people	+3.2%
2002	32.63 million people	+3.2%
2003	33.65 million people	+3.1%
2004	34.71 million people	+3.2%
2005	35.80 million people	+3.1%
2006	36.90 million people	+3.1%
2007	38.04 million people	+3.1%
2008	39.21 million people	+3.1%
2009	40.41 million people	+3.1%
2010	41.60 million people	+2.9%
2011	42.76 million people	+2.8%
2012	43.89 million people	+2.6%
2013	44.99 million people	+2.5%
2014	46.05 million people	+2.4%
2015	47.09 million people	+2.3%
2016	48.14 million people	+2.2%
2017	49.20 million people	+2.2%
2018	50.21 million people	+2.1%
2019	51.20 million people	+2.0%
2020	52.22 million people	+2.0%
2021	53.22 million people	+1.9%
2022	54.25 million people	+1.9%
2023	55.34 million people	+2.0%

Kenya compared with similar countries

Kenya's 55.34 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 4.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Kenya's 55.34 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1000s	800,000 people	800,000 people	800,000 people	1
1100s	940,000 people	940,000 people	940,000 people	1
1200s	1.08 million people	1.08 million people	1.08 million people	1
1300s	1.22 million people	1.22 million people	1.22 million people	1
1400s	1.36 million people	1.36 million people	1.36 million people	1
1500s	1.50 million people	1.50 million people	1.50 million people	1
1600s	1.75 million people	1.75 million people	1.75 million people	1
1700s	2.00 million people	2.00 million people	2.00 million people	1
1710s	2.05 million people	2.05 million people	2.05 million people	1
1720s	2.07 million people	2.07 million people	2.07 million people	1
1730s	2.10 million people	2.10 million people	2.10 million people	1
1740s	2.12 million people	2.12 million people	2.12 million people	1
1750s	2.15 million people	2.15 million people	2.15 million people	1
1760s	2.18 million people	2.18 million people	2.18 million people	1
1770s	2.21 million people	2.21 million people	2.21 million people	1
1780s	2.24 million people	2.24 million people	2.24 million people	1
1790s	2.28 million people	2.28 million people	2.28 million people	1
1800s	2.64 million people	2.57 million people	2.70 million people	10
1810s	2.78 million people	2.71 million people	2.85 million people	10
1820s	2.93 million people	2.86 million people	3.00 million people	10
1830s	3.09 million people	3.02 million people	3.16 million people	10
1840s	3.26 million people	3.18 million people	3.34 million people	10
1850s	3.43 million people	3.35 million people	3.51 million people	10
1860s	3.61 million people	3.53 million people	3.70 million people	10
1870s	3.82 million people	3.72 million people	3.93 million people	10
1880s	4.06 million people	3.95 million people	4.16 million people	10
1890s	4.08 million people	3.98 million people	4.17 million people	10
1900s	3.80 million people	3.66 million people	3.95 million people	10
1910s	3.58 million people	3.54 million people	3.63 million people	10
1920s	3.81 million people	3.57 million people	4.10 million people	10
1930s	4.45 million people	4.17 million people	4.73 million people	10
1940s	5.21 million people	4.81 million people	5.65 million people	10
1950s	6.50 million people	5.77 million people	7.42 million people	10
1960s	9.22 million people	7.70 million people	10.94 million people	10
1970s	13.34 million people	11.37 million people	15.46 million people	10
1980s	18.94 million people	16.02 million people	22.12 million people	10
1990s	26.26 million people	22.89 million people	29.73 million people	10
2000s	35.36 million people	30.64 million people	40.41 million people	10
2010s	46.51 million people	41.60 million people	51.20 million people	10
2020s	53.76 million people	52.22 million people	55.34 million people	4

Countries ranked near Kenya

24 France 66.44 million people compare
25 South Africa 63.21 million people compare
26 Italy 59.50 million people compare
28 Myanmar 54.13 million people compare
29 Colombia 52.32 million people compare
30 South Korea 51.75 million people compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

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)
World population growth -0.0% (2100)
Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is population in Kenya?: Population in Kenya was 55.34 million people in 2023, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest population recorded in Kenya?: The highest recorded value was 55.34 million people in 2023.
What is the lowest population recorded in Kenya?: The lowest recorded value was 800,000 people in 1000.
How does Kenya rank for population?: Kenya ranks 27th out of 239 countries with data for 2023.
Is population rising or falling in Kenya?: Over the last ten years it is up 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?: The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-marimekko/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator: Population
Unit: people
Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 239 places, 51,002 data points, 1000–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Population by country, available from 10,000 BCE to 2023, based on data and estimates from different sources.