Population density in Rwanda
Rwanda: Population density was 565.64 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
565.64 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
17th
of 215 countries
All-time high
565.64 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
125.93 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Rwanda, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 565.64 people per sq. km of land area for population density in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Rwanda peaked at 565.64 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 125.93 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Rwanda ranks 17th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 125.93 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 129.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 132.1 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 135.18 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 138.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 142.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 147.12 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 151.76 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 156.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 161.36 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 166.2 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 171.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 176.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 181.36 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 186.78 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 192.38 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 198.15 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 204.1 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 210.36 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 217 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 224.05 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 231.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 239.37 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 247.57 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 256.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 264.77 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 273.59 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 282.45 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 291.23 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 298.96 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 305.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 311.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 323.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.9% |
| 1994 | 275.33 people per sq. km of land area | -14.9% |
| 1995 | 230 people per sq. km of land area | -16.5% |
| 1996 | 271.94 people per sq. km of land area | +18.2% |
| 1997 | 314.36 people per sq. km of land area | +15.6% |
| 1998 | 327.59 people per sq. km of land area | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 330.28 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 332.95 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 335.92 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 340.5 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 348.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 357.39 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 367.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 376.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 387.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 397.42 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 407.8 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 418.22 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 428.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 438.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 449.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 460.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 471.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 483.14 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 494.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 506.2 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 517.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 529.62 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 541.36 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 553.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 565.64 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 139.92 people per sq. km of land area | 125.93 people per sq. km of land area | 156.52 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 184.79 people per sq. km of land area | 161.36 people per sq. km of land area | 210.36 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 252.76 people per sq. km of land area | 217 people per sq. km of land area | 291.23 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 298.85 people per sq. km of land area | 230 people per sq. km of land area | 330.28 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 365.11 people per sq. km of land area | 332.95 people per sq. km of land area | 407.8 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 466.98 people per sq. km of land area | 418.22 people per sq. km of land area | 517.88 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 547.49 people per sq. km of land area | 529.62 people per sq. km of land area | 565.64 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 14 Mauritius 625.26 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 15 Aruba 596.44 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 16 Naoero 593.75 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 18 Lebanon 564.37 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 19 San Marino 564.33 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 20 Saint Martin (French part) 550.3 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Rwanda
- Population in the largest city 29.5% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 36.01 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.0913 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.33 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 50.57 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.33 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 13.52 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Rwanda?
- Population density in Rwanda was 565.64 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 565.64 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 125.93 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Rwanda rank for population density?
- Rwanda ranks 17th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.