Rwanda Population
Rwanda has an estimated population of about 14.3 million, which makes it the 76th most populous of the 115 countries tracked here.
Its population is growing rapidly, at 2.14% a year.
The capital is Kigali.
The counter below is a live estimate interpolated from the World Bank's latest annual figures — not a real-time measurement. It links to its source, base year and method via the ⓘ next to it.
Statistics
Population trend
Population 2015–2024 (World Bank)
How Rwanda's population is changing
Rwanda records about 1,095 births and 230 deaths a day. That is a natural increase of roughly 865 people per day, or about 315,941 a year before migration is counted.
Net migration runs at about 15,582 over the reported period, with more people leaving than arriving. That is equivalent to about 5% of its natural change.
If the current rate held indefinitely, Rwanda would take roughly 33 years to double in size — a projection of today's rate, not a forecast.
Over the 9 years from 2015 to 2024, the population rose from 11.6 million to 14.3 million — a gain of 2.62 million, or 22.5%.
Where people live in Rwanda
With about 566 people per square kilometre, Rwanda is very densely populated, roughly 9.1× the world average of 62. That ranks 4th of the 115 countries here. Its closest comparisons on density are Lebanon and Burundi.
Rwanda covers about 24,670 km² of land, which is what turns a population of 14.3 million into that density figure.
About 29.9% of people live in urban areas, making Rwanda predominantly rural, below the world average of 57.6%. That works out to roughly 4.26 million town and city dwellers and 10.00 million living rurally.
Age, fertility and life expectancy in Rwanda
Rwanda has a young population: about 37.4% are under 15 and 3.9% are 65 or older. Children outnumber over-65s by roughly 9.5 to one.
The total fertility rate is about 3.65 births per woman, above the ~2.1 replacement level, which is what sustains growth from births alone. The world figure is about 2.19.
Life expectancy at birth is about 68.0 years, roughly 5.5 years below the global average of 73.5.
Rwanda at a glance
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14.3 million | 2024 |
| World rank by population | #76 | 2024 |
| Annual growth rate | 2.14% | 2024 |
| Population density | 566 /km² | 2023 |
| Land area | 24,670 km² | 2023 |
| Urban population | 29.9% | 2024 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 68.0 years | 2024 |
| Fertility rate | 3.65 births per woman | 2024 |
| Population under 15 | 37.4% | 2024 |
| Population 65 and over | 3.9% | 2024 |
| Net migration | -15,582 | 2024 |
| Births per day | 1,095 | 2024 |
| Deaths per day | 230 | 2024 |
Frequently asked questions
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Current local time in Rwanda
Methodology & sources
Data: World Bank (CC BY 4.0), base year 2024. The live counter animates the latest annual growth rate per second; it is an estimate, not a real-time measurement. No figures are invented — every number traces back to the World Bank indicators listed above.
Source: World Bank