Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda
Uganda: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 16.41 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
16.41 million people
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
55th
of 236 countries
All-time high
16.41 million people
in 2025
All-time low
186,282 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda is 16.41 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and up 75.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda peaked at 16.41 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 186,282 people, in 1950.
That places Uganda 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 186,282 people | — |
| 1951 | 196,225 people | +5.3% |
| 1952 | 207,135 people | +5.6% |
| 1953 | 219,056 people | +5.8% |
| 1954 | 232,004 people | +5.9% |
| 1955 | 245,988 people | +6.0% |
| 1956 | 261,011 people | +6.1% |
| 1957 | 277,096 people | +6.2% |
| 1958 | 294,276 people | +6.2% |
| 1959 | 312,623 people | +6.2% |
| 1960 | 333,371 people | +6.6% |
| 1961 | 357,466 people | +7.2% |
| 1962 | 384,619 people | +7.6% |
| 1963 | 414,436 people | +7.8% |
| 1964 | 446,324 people | +7.7% |
| 1965 | 479,554 people | +7.4% |
| 1966 | 513,395 people | +7.1% |
| 1967 | 547,069 people | +6.6% |
| 1968 | 579,679 people | +6.0% |
| 1969 | 609,630 people | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 636,813 people | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 662,101 people | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 684,652 people | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 706,002 people | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 728,505 people | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 752,444 people | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 777,767 people | +3.4% |
| 1977 | 804,903 people | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 834,398 people | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 864,715 people | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 896,845 people | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 937,738 people | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 991,415 people | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 1.06 million people | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 1.13 million people | +7.1% |
| 1985 | 1.21 million people | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 1.31 million people | +7.5% |
| 1987 | 1.40 million people | +7.5% |
| 1988 | 1.51 million people | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 1.61 million people | +6.9% |
| 1990 | 1.72 million people | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 1.82 million people | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 1.92 million people | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 2.02 million people | +5.4% |
| 1994 | 2.13 million people | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 2.22 million people | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 2.31 million people | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 2.41 million people | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 2.53 million people | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 2.66 million people | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 2.79 million people | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 2.95 million people | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 3.12 million people | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 3.32 million people | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 3.56 million people | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 3.86 million people | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 4.20 million people | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 4.59 million people | +9.4% |
| 2008 | 5.04 million people | +9.7% |
| 2009 | 5.54 million people | +9.9% |
| 2010 | 6.09 million people | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 6.69 million people | +9.9% |
| 2012 | 7.34 million people | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 8.03 million people | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 8.81 million people | +9.6% |
| 2015 | 9.37 million people | +6.5% |
| 2016 | 9.97 million people | +6.3% |
| 2017 | 10.61 million people | +6.4% |
| 2018 | 11.28 million people | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 11.97 million people | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 12.69 million people | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 13.42 million people | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 14.16 million people | +5.5% |
| 2023 | 14.89 million people | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 15.64 million people | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 16.41 million people | +4.9% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 16.41 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.96 million people, 2.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 16.41 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 3.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 243,170 people | 186,282 people | 312,623 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 466,554 people | 333,371 people | 609,630 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 745,230 people | 636,813 people | 864,715 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.21 million people | 896,845 people | 1.61 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.17 million people | 1.72 million people | 2.66 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.90 million people | 2.79 million people | 5.54 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.02 million people | 6.09 million people | 11.97 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.54 million people | 12.69 million people | 16.41 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 52 North Korea 17.06 million people compare
- 53 Myanmar 16.78 million people compare
- 54 Cameroon 16.63 million people compare
- 56 Yemen 15.47 million people compare
- 57 Mozambique 13.26 million people compare
- 58 Kazakhstan 13.00 million people compare
More population data for Uganda
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0339 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8617 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.53 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Uganda was 16.41 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 16.41 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 186,282 people in 1950.
- How does Uganda rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Uganda ranks 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.