Prison population rate in Uganda
Uganda: Prison population rate was 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prison population rate in Uganda, 2005–2025
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 150 prisoners per 100,000 people for prison population rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 36.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in Uganda peaked at 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 90 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2008.
Uganda ranks 105th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 91.5 prisoners per 100,000 people | 90 prisoners per 100,000 people | 93 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 110.2 prisoners per 100,000 people | 91 prisoners per 100,000 people | 127 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 144.33 prisoners per 100,000 people | 133 prisoners per 100,000 people | 150 prisoners per 100,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 102 Cook Islands 156 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 102 Lithuania 156 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 104 Philippines 151 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 105 Zimbabwe 150 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 107 Slovakia 149 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 108 Tajikistan 145 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
More population data for Uganda
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.91 million people (2100)
- Population density 602.61 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.17 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 1.76 million people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.17 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.17 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 3.0% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 4.28 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in Uganda?
- Prison population rate in Uganda was 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest prison population rate recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 90 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2008.
- How does Uganda rank for prison population rate?
- Uganda ranks 105th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.