Total population (thousands) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Total population (thousands) was 133,765 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
133,765 thousands
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
10th
of 233 countries
All-time high
133,765 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
27,444 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Ethiopia, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 133,765 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Ethiopia peaked at 133,765 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 27,444 thousands, in 1970.
That places Ethiopia 10th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 27,444 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 28,214 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 28,986 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 29,763 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 30,571 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 31,344 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 32,103 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 32,966 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 33,368 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 34,101 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 34,376 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 34,480 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 36,128 thousands | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 37,275 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 38,207 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 39,265 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 40,419 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 41,656 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 43,264 thousands | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 45,038 thousands | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 46,722 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 48,498 thousands | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 50,937 thousands | +5.0% |
| 1993 | 52,771 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 54,647 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 56,576 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 58,499 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 60,437 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 62,372 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 64,354 thousands | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 66,395 thousands | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 68,428 thousands | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 70,547 thousands | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 72,724 thousands | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 74,941 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 77,213 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 79,522 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 81,885 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 84,321 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 86,766 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 89,249 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 91,828 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 94,472 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 97,125 thousands | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 99,752 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 102,479 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 105,255 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 108,181 thousands | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 111,152 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 114,176 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 117,298 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 120,537 thousands | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 123,740 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 127,028 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 130,355 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2025 | 133,765 thousands | +2.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 133,765 thousands is above the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 5.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 133,765 thousands is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 9.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30,886 thousands | 27,444 thousands | 34,101 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 39,011 thousands | 34,376 thousands | 45,038 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 55,581 thousands | 46,722 thousands | 64,354 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 76,274 thousands | 66,395 thousands | 86,766 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 101,367 thousands | 89,249 thousands | 114,176 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 125,454 thousands | 117,298 thousands | 133,765 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More population data for Ethiopia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2918 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.229 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 325.45 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 23.22 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 4.7 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Ethiopia?
- Total population in Ethiopia was 133,765 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 133,765 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,444 thousands in 1970.
- How does Ethiopia rank for total population?
- Ethiopia ranks 10th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release