Urban population in Rwanda
Rwanda: Urban population was 30.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Rwanda, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Rwanda stood at 30.9%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 69.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Rwanda peaked at 30.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1960.
That places Rwanda 196th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.6% | — |
| 1961 | 2.7% | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 2.7% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 2.8% | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 2.8% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 2.9% | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 3.1% | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 3.1% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | +5.3% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 4.0% | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 4.2% | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 4.4% | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 4.6% | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 4.8% | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 4.9% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 4.9% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 5.1% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 5.1% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 5.4% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 5.7% | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | +13.0% |
| 1994 | 7.5% | +16.9% |
| 1995 | 8.8% | +17.8% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | +16.8% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | +14.9% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | +12.6% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | +10.1% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 23.0% | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | +6.4% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 29.9% | +3.6% |
| 2025 | 30.9% | +3.4% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 30.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 89% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 30.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 69% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.9% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.9% | 5.3% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.8% | 15.8% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.7% | 16.9% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.0% | 24.5% | 30.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 193 Uganda 31.9% compare
- 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis 31.9% compare
- 195 Solomon Islands 31.3% compare
- 197 Myanmar 30.6% compare
- 198 Saint Lucia 29.1% compare
- 199 Burkina Faso 28.9% 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 in Rwanda?
- Urban population in Rwanda was 30.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1960.
- How does Rwanda rank for urban population?
- Rwanda ranks 196th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.9%. 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 (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.