Total population (thousands) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Total population (thousands) was 14,407 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
14,407 thousands
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
76th
of 233 countries
All-time high
14,407 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
3,920 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Rwanda, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in Rwanda is 14,407 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Rwanda peaked at 14,407 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3,920 thousands, in 1970.
Rwanda ranks 76th of 233 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3,920 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 4,041 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 4,159 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 4,281 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 4,409 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 4,540 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 4,676 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 4,816 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 4,960 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 5,110 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 5,269 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 5,438 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 5,617 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 5,806 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 6,004 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 6,211 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 6,424 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 6,640 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 6,859 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 7,077 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 7,292 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 7,459 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 7,595 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 7,771 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 8,191 thousands | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 5,394 thousands | -34.2% |
| 1996 | 5,955 thousands | +10.4% |
| 1997 | 7,463 thousands | +25.3% |
| 1998 | 8,048 thousands | +7.8% |
| 1999 | 8,116 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 8,180 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 8,248 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 8,326 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 8,474 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 8,700 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 8,934 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 9,175 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 9,423 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 9,677 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 9,932 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 10,189 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 10,446 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 10,701 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 10,959 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 11,228 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 11,501 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 11,779 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 12,060 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 12,344 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 12,632 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 12,921 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 13,211 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 13,500 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 13,803 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 14,106 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 14,407 thousands | +2.1% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 14,407 thousands is below the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 61% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 14,407 thousands is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total population (thousands) in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -34.2% | 8,191 thousands | 5,394 thousands |
| 1997 | +25.3% | 5,955 thousands | 7,463 thousands |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4,491 thousands | 3,920 thousands | 5,110 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 6,134 thousands | 5,269 thousands | 7,077 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 7,328 thousands | 5,394 thousands | 8,191 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,907 thousands | 8,180 thousands | 9,932 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,384 thousands | 10,189 thousands | 12,632 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,658 thousands | 12,921 thousands | 14,407 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More population data for Rwanda
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5502 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 23,030 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.06 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 1,329 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.01 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Rwanda?
- Total population in Rwanda was 14,407 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 14,407 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,920 thousands in 1970.
- How does Rwanda rank for total population?
- Rwanda ranks 76th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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