Kenya — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Kenya, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Kenya was 1.93% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.99% in 1966. The lowest was 1.90% in 2021 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.02% per year.
Kenya ranks 52 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 24%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Kenya sits below it. It peaked in 1966 and has fallen 52% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 13%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 38 of 48 economies; Zimbabwe (1.88%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 7% in 2018. That is 5% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 15th of 216 in 1961 → 16th of 216 in 1970 → 24th of 216 in 1980 → 26th of 216 in 1990 → 25th of 217 in 2000 → 28th of 217 in 2010 → 57th of 217 in 2020 → 52nd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.93% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 1.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 2.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 2.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 2.21% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 2.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 3.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 3.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 3.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 3.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 3.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 3.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 3.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 3.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 2.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 2.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.73% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 2.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 2.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 3.06% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 3.24% | -0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 3.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 3.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 3.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 3.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.58% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 3.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 3.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 3.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 3.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 3.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 3.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 3.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 3.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 3.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 3.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 3.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 3.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 3.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 1971 | 3.63% | -0.2 pp |
| 1970 | 3.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 3.92% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 3.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 3.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 3.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 3.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 3.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 3.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 3.73% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kenya’s Population growth in 1962?
3.83% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Kenya’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -48.3% in total — about 1.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.93%; 2024: 1.96%; 2023: 1.98%; 2022: 1.92%; 2021: 1.9%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.