Has the population peaked? in Kenya
Kenya: Has the population peaked? was 55.34 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
55.34 million people
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
26th
of 236 countries
All-time high
55.34 million people
in 2023
All-time low
5.77 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Has the population peaked? in Kenya, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, has the population peaked? in Kenya stood at 55.34 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 23.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, has the population peaked? in Kenya peaked at 55.34 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.77 million people, in 1950.
That places Kenya 26th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Has the population peaked? in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.77 million people | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is has the population peaked? in Kenya?
- Has the population peaked? in Kenya was 55.34 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest has the population peaked? recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 55.34 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest has the population peaked? recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.77 million people in 1950.
- How does Kenya rank for has the population peaked??
- Kenya ranks 26th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is has the population peaked? 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Has the population peaked?. 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).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.