Rwanda — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Rwanda, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Rwanda was 2.17% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 16.75% in 1996. The lowest was -17.99% in 1995 (about -8.3× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.37% per year.
Rwanda ranks 40 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 18%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Rwanda sits below it. It peaked in 1996 and has fallen 87% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 9%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 28 of 48 economies; Guinea-Bissau (2.16%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 524% in 1994. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1996.
World ranking. Climbed: 72nd of 216 in 1961 → 38th of 216 in 1970 → 41st of 216 in 1980 → 67th of 216 in 1990 → 146th of 217 in 2000 → 42nd of 217 in 2010 → 42nd of 217 in 2020 → 40th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 2.14% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 2.2% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 2.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 2.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 2.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 2.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 2.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 2.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 2.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 2.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 2.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 2.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 2.66% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.66% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.64% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 2.2% | +0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 1.36% | +0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 0.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 0.81% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 0.82% | -3.3 pp |
| 1998 | 4.12% | -10.4 pp |
| 1997 | 14.5% | -2.3 pp |
| 1996 | 16.75% | +34.7 pp |
| 1995 | -17.99% | -1.9 pp |
| 1994 | -16.13% | -19.9 pp |
| 1993 | 3.8% | +1.7 pp |
| 1992 | 2.06% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.04% | -0.6 pp |
| 1990 | 2.62% | -0.4 pp |
| 1989 | 3.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 3.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 3.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 3.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 3.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.34% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 3.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 3.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 3.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 3.02% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 2.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 2.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.94% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 2.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 2.91% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.89% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 2.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 3.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 3.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 3.02% | +0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 2.83% | +0.2 pp |
| 1965 | 2.62% | +0.3 pp |
| 1964 | 2.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.26% | -0.3 pp |
| 1962 | 2.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 1961 | 2.76% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Rwanda’s Population growth in 1962?
2.52% (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 Rwanda’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -21.3% in total — about 0.4% 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: 2.17%; 2024: 2.14%; 2023: 2.2%; 2022: 2.19%; 2021: 2.19%. 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.