Based on current projections, Uganda’s population is expected to surpass 100 million people by 2050 and reached 167 million people by the end of the century. By 2100, Uganda’s population is expected to surpass that of Egypt, the second-largest country by population currently in Africa.
Uganda’s population growth rate is currently 3.32%. The growth rate has remained around 3% for the past several decades in Uganda. This is influenced heavily by the country’s fertility rate of 4.78 births per woman. At this growth, over 1 million people are added to the population each year.
Uganda’s rapid population growth is a cause for concern. Issues cited include rapid urbanization, poor waste management, high poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, and inadequate infrastructure, among other things.
| Uganda Population (as of 10/15/2024) | 50,411,529 |
| Last UN Estimate (July 1, 2024) | 50,015,100 |
| Births per Day | 4,715 |
| Deaths per Day | 653 |
| Migrations per Day | -323 |
| Net Change per Day | 3,740 |
| Population Change Since Jan. 1 | 1,077,120 |
Net increase of 1 person every 23 seconds
Population estimates based on interpolation of data from World Population Prospects
| One birth every 18 seconds | |
| One death every 2.2 minutes | |
| One emigrant every 4.45 minutes | |
| Net gain of one person every 23 seconds |
City | 2024 Pop. |
|---|---|
| Kampala | 1,353,189 |
| Gulu | 146,858 |
| Lira | 119,323 |
| Mbarara | 97,500 |
| Jinja | 93,061 |
| Bwizibwera | 79,157 |
| Mbale | 76,493 |
| Mukono | 67,290 |
| Kasese | 67,269 |
| Masaka | 65,373 |
The total area that Uganda claims within their boundaries comes to 241,038 square kilometers. The density of the population overall is approximately 183 individuals per square kilometer. While 84% of residents live in rural areas instead of the developing urban areas, the major cities still boast a large number of inhabitants. Consider Kampala with 1,353,189 residents and Gulu with 146,858.
With over 80% of Ugandan citizens living in rural areas, there isn't much as far as large cities. The largest, by far is the capital, Kampala with a population of 1,659,600 with the next largest city having a population of 365,000.
Year | Population | Change | Density (/km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 50,015,100 | 3.07% | 250 | 31 | 59 |
| 2023 | 48,656,600 | 3.2% | 244 | 31 | 60 |
| 2020 | 44,457,200 | 3.39% | 222 | 34 | 66 |
| 2019 | 42,999,600 | 3.45% | 215 | 35 | 68 |
| 2018 | 41,565,800 | 3.46% | 208 | 35 | 68 |
| 2017 | 40,177,400 | 3.55% | 201 | 35 | 70 |
| 2015 | 37,531,400 | 2.99% | 188 | 37 | 71 |
| 2010 | 32,390,800 | 2.98% | 162 | 38 | 72 |
| 2005 | 27,963,300 | 3.1% | 140 | 40 | 74 |
| 2000 | 24,000,200 | 3.04% | 120 | 43 | 83 |
| 1995 | 20,665,700 | 3.3% | 103 | 46 | 92 |
| 1990 | 17,569,900 | 3.18% | 88 | 47 | 103 |
| 1985 | 15,023,700 | 2.5% | 75 | 50 | 111 |
| 1980 | 13,275,700 | 2.51% | 66 | 50 | 112 |
| 1975 | 11,725,200 | 2.58% | 59 | 50 | 110 |
| 1970 | 10,321,600 | 3.13% | 52 | 50 | 108 |
| 1965 | 8,849,200 | 2.98% | 44 | 56 | 110 |
| 1960 | 7,640,970 | 2.93% | 38 | 59 | 113 |
| 1955 | 6,613,770 | 2.83% | 33 | 60 | 113 |
Year | Population | Change | Density (/km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 50,015,100 | 3.07% | 250 | 31 | 59 |
| 2025 | 51,384,900 | 2.94% | 257 | 31 | 58 |
| 2030 | 58,312,900 | 2.56% | 292 | 27 | 53 |
| 2035 | 65,205,600 | 2.26% | 326 | 26 | 44 |
| 2040 | 72,020,400 | 2.01% | 360 | 24 | 38 |
| 2045 | 78,798,000 | 1.81% | 394 | 22 | 36 |
| 2050 | 85,431,200 | 1.63% | 428 | 20 | 33 |
| 2055 | 91,729,100 | 1.43% | 459 | 20 | 30 |
| 2060 | 97,542,300 | 1.24% | 488 | 20 | 30 |
| 2065 | 102,815,000 | 1.06% | 515 | 18 | 27 |
| 2070 | 107,461,000 | 0.89% | 538 | 17 | 26 |
| 2075 | 111,471,000 | 0.73% | 558 | 18 | 23 |
| 2080 | 114,812,000 | 0.59% | 575 | 18 | 21 |
| 2085 | 117,411,000 | 0.45% | 588 | 19 | 21 |
| 2090 | 119,268,000 | 0.31% | 597 | 19 | 22 |
| 2095 | 120,395,000 | 0.19% | 603 | 18 | 22 |
Uganda is one of the countries that houses rich ethnic diversity, which includes most of its population speaking three major languages - Bantu, Nilotic and Central Sudanic. Furthermore, the number of ethnic groups present in Uganda is very large, making it one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the region. The main ethnic group is called the Ganda, which makes up 16.9% of the population, followed by the Nkole, Soga and Kiga tribes, which make up 9.5%, 8.4% and 6.9% respectively. There are many other tribes; however, they constitute a very small percentage of the total population.
The life expectancy in the country is around 58.5 years, with the life expectancy of males being 56.7 years and 60.5 years for females. Due to the high marriage rate in the country, the age structure is skewed towards the younger generations with 48.47% of the Ugandaís population being in the 0-14 year-old age group. After that, 28.34% of the population of Uganda is in the 25-64 year age group. Lastly, 21.16% of the total population is dominated by the 15-24 year age group. Just 2.04% of the population is 65 or older.
These statistics show that Uganda can boast about a large population that can be classified as a work force, which could in turn help in its growth and economic stability. However, with a huge percentage of the population that is so young (0-14 years old), it could prove to be a grave situation for the country because it has to provide for these children and make sure that it can control its high birth rate. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which is described as the number of children per woman, of Uganda is one of the highest in the region and has remained on average around 6.9 in the past decade. As of 2016, the fertility rate for the country is 6.
The inhabitants of Uganda are mainly Roman Catholic and make up 39.3% of the total population. Anglican, Muslim and Pentecostal believers represent 32%, 13.7% and 11.1% of the total population respectively.
The rich ethnic, cultural and religious diversity sets Uganda apart. As it is a developing nation, it does house significant working class age groups that can help in its economic growth. Nevertheless, it is imperative that it provides suitable opportunities for its residents. Most importantly, as its sex ratio is roughly 1:1 with males housing a very slender majority, it can become a country that relies strongly on its women in all aspects of life. This, in turn, can help its image to flourish, while giving it another avenue for growth. The country’s women can partake in any responsibilities that are required in any development sector in Uganda.
The population of Uganda has grown significantly over the past century, maintaining a growth rate slightly above or below 3% for most of that time.