Urban population growth in Rwanda
Rwanda: Urban population growth was 5.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Rwanda, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 5.6% for urban population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Rwanda peaked at 32.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, -1.6%, in 1995.
Rwanda ranks 3rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.3% | — |
| 1962 | 4.7% | -10.8% |
| 1963 | 4.2% | -10.2% |
| 1964 | 4.1% | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 4.4% | +6.9% |
| 1966 | 4.7% | +6.3% |
| 1967 | 5.0% | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 5.3% | +5.9% |
| 1969 | 5.6% | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 6.0% | +8.0% |
| 1971 | 7.0% | +16.7% |
| 1972 | 8.1% | +14.4% |
| 1973 | 8.5% | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 8.6% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 8.2% | -4.0% |
| 1976 | 7.6% | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 6.7% | -11.8% |
| 1978 | 5.6% | -16.8% |
| 1979 | 4.7% | -15.1% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | -5.9% |
| 1981 | 4.3% | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 4.2% | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 4.1% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 3.7% | -9.0% |
| 1992 | 7.5% | +103.5% |
| 1993 | 16.0% | +113.6% |
| 1994 | -0.5% | -103.1% |
| 1995 | -1.6% | +227.6% |
| 1996 | 32.3% | -2112.4% |
| 1997 | 28.4% | -12.1% |
| 1998 | 16.0% | -43.7% |
| 1999 | 10.5% | -34.6% |
| 2000 | 8.1% | -22.7% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | -30.2% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | -41.1% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | -30.9% |
| 2004 | 2.7% | +16.9% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | +30.3% |
| 2014 | 4.9% | +53.5% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | +28.3% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | +16.8% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 6.0% | -28.7% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | -5.8% |
| 2025 | 5.6% | -1.7% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 5.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.0%, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 5.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.4%, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +2112.4% | -1.6% | 32.3% |
| 1995 | -227.6% | -0.5% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | +113.6% | 7.5% | 16.0% |
| 1992 | +103.5% | 3.7% | 7.5% |
| 1994 | -103.1% | 16.0% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.8% | 4.1% | 5.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.1% | 4.7% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.6% | -1.6% | 32.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.5% | 2.3% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | 2.4% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 5.6% | 8.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 1 Burundi 5.8% compare
- 2 Chad 5.7% compare
- 4 Niger 5.0% compare
- 5 Mozambique 4.9% compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 4.9% compare
More climate change data for Rwanda
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 14.59 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,059 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,586 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 5.98 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 88.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 388.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 261.95 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 126.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.9885 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Rwanda?
- Urban population growth in Rwanda was 5.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.6% in 1995.
- How does Rwanda rank for urban population growth?
- Rwanda ranks 3rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.