# Demographics of Rwanda

Demographic features of the population of Rwanda include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
Rwanda's population density is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa at 500 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,300/sq mi). This country has few villages, and nearly every family lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers.
Over half of the adult population is literate, but no more than 5% have received secondary education.

## Population

In 1950, Rwanda had a very narrow population pyramid, with less than 250,000 males and females between 0–10 years old. The graph only gets narrower as it goes up with virtually no-one living past 50 years of age. In 2017, the population of Rwanda increased dramatically from 1950 with about 750,000 people between 0–20 years old; the graph remains very narrow in the older ages section but has improved from 1950. By 2050, it is predicted that more people will be living longer and the structure will broaden overall. By 2100, it is predicted that there will be more people aged between 30 and 60 than between 0–20, as previous years have shown.
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 13,461,888 in 2021, compared to only 2,072,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 42.6%, 54.7% were between 15 and 65 years of age, and 2.7% was 65 years or older .

### Structure of the population

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2012) (Data refer to national projections.):
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 5,342,112 | 5,691,029 | 11,033,141 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 973,447 | 957,104 | 1,930,551 | 17.50 |
| 5–9 | 770,292 | 763,709 | 1,534,001 | 13.90 |
| 10–14 | 608,836 | 621,378 | 1,230,213 | 11.15 |
| 15–19 | 552,629 | 568,101 | 1,120,730 | 10.16 |
| 20–24 | 525,485 | 550,486 | 1,075,971 | 9.75 |
| 25–29 | 508,839 | 540,872 | 1,049,712 | 9.51 |
| 30–34 | 366,700 | 416,072 | 782,772 | 7.09 |
| 35–39 | 241,362 | 291,340 | 532,702 | 4.83 |
| 40–44 | 197,005 | 228,728 | 425,733 | 3.86 |
| 45–49 | 165,096 | 193,402 | 358,499 | 3.25 |
| 50–54 | 153,080 | 180,759 | 333,839 | 3.03 |
| 55–59 | 107,200 | 132,234 | 239,433 | 2.17 |
| 60–64 | 71,924 | 92,299 | 164,223 | 1.49 |
| 65–69 | 38,125 | 58,585 | 96,710 | 0.88 |
| 70–74 | 29,285 | 46,236 | 75,521 | 0.68 |
| 75–79 | 17,736 | 27,557 | 45,293 | 0.41 |
| 80+ | 15,071 | 22,178 | 37,239 | 0.34 |
| 0–14 | 2,352,575 | 2,342,191 | 4,694,766 | 42.55 |
| 15–64 | 2,889,320 | 3,194,282 | 6,083,602 | 55.14 |
| 65+ | 100,217 | 154,556 | 254,773 | 2.31 |
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2019) (Projections based on the 2012 Population Census.):
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 6 008 384 | 6 366 013 | 12 374 397 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 844 359 | 828 304 | 1 672 663 | 13.52 |
| 5–9 | 764 098 | 763 070 | 1 527 168 | 12.34 |
| 10–14 | 757 029 | 764 727 | 1 521 756 | 12.30 |
| 15–19 | 669 226 | 685 385 | 1 354 611 | 10.95 |
| 20–24 | 559 045 | 580 570 | 1 139 615 | 9.21 |
| 25–29 | 502 947 | 533 613 | 1 036 560 | 8.38 |
| 30–34 | 464 011 | 487 289 | 951 301 | 7.69 |
| 35–39 | 399 641 | 420 377 | 820 018 | 6.63 |
| 40–44 | 272 423 | 311 994 | 584 417 | 4.72 |
| 45–49 | 193 490 | 233 052 | 426 542 | 3.45 |
| 50–54 | 158 153 | 188 719 | 346 872 | 2.80 |
| 55–59 | 143 753 | 177 803 | 321 557 | 2.60 |
| 60–64 | 113 795 | 145 306 | 259 101 | 2.09 |
| 65-69 | 75 204 | 99 427 | 174 630 | 1.41 |
| 70-74 | 41 032 | 60 933 | 101 965 | 0.82 |
| 75-79 | 24 110 | 41 408 | 65 519 | 0.53 |
| 80+ | 26 067 | 44 035 | 70 102 | 0.57 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 2 365 486 | 2 356 101 | 4 721 587 | 38.16 |
| 15–64 | 3 476 485 | 3 764 109 | 7 240 594 | 58.51 |
| 65+ | 166 413 | 245 803 | 412 216 | 3.33 |

## Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Rwanda not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates:
| | Mid-year population | Live births | Deaths | Natural change | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate (TFR) | Infant mortality (per 1000) | Life expectancy (in years) |
| 1950 | 2 154 000 | 119 000 | 48 000 | 71 000 | 55.4 | 22.4 | 33.1 | 7.92 | 147.2 | 43.34 |
| 1951 | 2 227 000 | 123 000 | 50 000 | 73 000 | 55.3 | 22.5 | 32.8 | 7.94 | 146.7 | 43.44 |
| 1952 | 2 302 000 | 127 000 | 52 000 | 76 000 | 55.3 | 22.5 | 32.8 | 7.98 | 145.7 | 43.67 |
| 1953 | 2 379 000 | 131 000 | 53 000 | 78 000 | 55.2 | 22.4 | 32.8 | 8.02 | 144.7 | 43.88 |
| 1954 | 2 457 000 | 135 000 | 55 000 | 80 000 | 54.9 | 22.2 | 32.7 | 8.06 | 143.7 | 44.04 |
| 1955 | 2 538 000 | 138 000 | 56 000 | 83 000 | 54.5 | 22.0 | 32.5 | 8.09 | 142.6 | 44.25 |
| 1956 | 2 621 000 | 142 000 | 57 000 | 85 000 | 54.1 | 21.8 | 32.3 | 8.12 | 141.6 | 44.43 |
| 1957 | 2 706 000 | 145 000 | 57 000 | 88 000 | 53.6 | 21.1 | 32.5 | 8.14 | 138.1 | 45.16 |
| 1958 | 2 793 000 | 148 000 | 57 000 | 91 000 | 53.0 | 20.5 | 32.6 | 8.16 | 134.5 | 45.86 |
| 1959 | 2 881 000 | 151 000 | 57 000 | 94 000 | 52.4 | 19.8 | 32.6 | 8.18 | 131.1 | 46.62 |
| 1960 | 2 966 000 | 154 000 | 57 000 | 97 000 | 51.7 | 19.2 | 32.5 | 8.19 | 128.1 | 47.18 |
| 1961 | 3 047 000 | 155 000 | 57 000 | 98 000 | 50.8 | 18.7 | 32.1 | 8.19 | 125.8 | 47.66 |
| 1962 | 3 122 000 | 156 000 | 57 000 | 99 000 | 49.8 | 18.3 | 31.5 | 8.20 | 124.1 | 47.99 |
| 1963 | 3 191 000 | 157 000 | 66 000 | 91 000 | 48.9 | 20.6 | 28.3 | 8.20 | 124.9 | 44.07 |
| 1964 | 3 264 000 | 157 000 | 58 000 | 99 000 | 48.0 | 17.8 | 30.3 | 8.20 | 122.6 | 48.24 |
| 1965 | 3 349 000 | 159 000 | 59 000 | 100 000 | 47.5 | 17.6 | 29.9 | 8.20 | 122.6 | 48.28 |
| 1966 | 3 444 000 | 163 000 | 61 000 | 102 000 | 47.3 | 17.6 | 29.7 | 8.20 | 123.1 | 48.17 |
| 1967 | 3 549 000 | 168 000 | 62 000 | 106 000 | 47.4 | 17.6 | 29.8 | 8.20 | 123.9 | 48.09 |
| 1968 | 3 662 000 | 175 000 | 65 000 | 110 000 | 47.8 | 17.8 | 30.0 | 8.21 | 125.3 | 47.75 |
| 1969 | 3 778 000 | 183 000 | 68 000 | 114 000 | 48.3 | 18.1 | 30.2 | 8.22 | 126.9 | 47.40 |
| 1970 | 3 896 000 | 190 000 | 72 000 | 119 000 | 48.8 | 18.4 | 30.4 | 8.23 | 128.4 | 47.15 |
| 1971 | 4 015 000 | 197 000 | 75 000 | 122 000 | 49.1 | 18.6 | 30.5 | 8.23 | 129.9 | 46.83 |
| 1972 | 4 136 000 | 205 000 | 78 000 | 126 000 | 49.4 | 18.9 | 30.5 | 8.23 | 131.8 | 46.50 |
| 1973 | 4 259 000 | 212 000 | 83 000 | 130 000 | 49.8 | 19.4 | 30.4 | 8.23 | 134.3 | 45.91 |
| 1974 | 4 386 000 | 220 000 | 87 000 | 133 000 | 50.1 | 19.9 | 30.2 | 8.23 | 137.4 | 45.30 |
| 1975 | 4 516 000 | 228 000 | 92 000 | 136 000 | 50.4 | 20.4 | 30.0 | 8.22 | 140.3 | 44.70 |
| 1976 | 4 648 000 | 237 000 | 96 000 | 141 000 | 50.9 | 20.6 | 30.3 | 8.24 | 142.3 | 44.65 |
| 1977 | 4 783 000 | 245 000 | 98 000 | 147 000 | 51.2 | 20.5 | 30.7 | 8.24 | 142.3 | 44.80 |
| 1978 | 4 922 000 | 254 000 | 99 000 | 155 000 | 51.6 | 20.1 | 31.5 | 8.25 | 139.6 | 45.48 |
| 1979 | 5 074 000 | 264 000 | 98 000 | 167 000 | 52.1 | 19.2 | 32.9 | 8.23 | 134.2 | 46.66 |
| 1980 | 5 248 000 | 274 000 | 95 000 | 178 000 | 52.2 | 18.2 | 34.0 | 8.19 | 127.0 | 47.96 |
| 1981 | 5 442 000 | 285 000 | 93 000 | 192 000 | 52.3 | 17.1 | 35.3 | 8.16 | 118.9 | 49.42 |
| 1982 | 5 653 000 | 294 000 | 91 000 | 203 000 | 52.1 | 16.1 | 36.0 | 8.09 | 111.3 | 50.69 |
| 1983 | 5 859 000 | 302 000 | 91 000 | 212 000 | 51.5 | 15.4 | 36.1 | 7.99 | 105.5 | 51.32 |
| 1984 | 6 057 000 | 307 000 | 91 000 | 216 000 | 50.6 | 15.0 | 35.7 | 7.87 | 101.2 | 51.64 |
| 1985 | 6 267 000 | 310 000 | 92 000 | 218 000 | 49.5 | 14.6 | 34.9 | 7.73 | 97.9 | 51.73 |
| 1986 | 6 498 000 | 315 000 | 94 000 | 222 000 | 48.6 | 14.4 | 34.2 | 7.56 | 95.2 | 51.64 |
| 1987 | 6 736 000 | 322 000 | 96 000 | 226 000 | 47.8 | 14.3 | 33.5 | 7.39 | 93.0 | 51.48 |
| 1988 | 6 954 000 | 326 000 | 100 000 | 227 000 | 46.8 | 14.3 | 32.5 | 7.23 | 91.3 | 50.98 |
| 1989 | 7 142 000 | 327 000 | 104 000 | 223 000 | 45.7 | 14.6 | 31.1 | 7.06 | 91.2 | 50.22 |
| 1990 | 7 320 000 | 325 000 | 113 000 | 212 000 | 44.3 | 15.4 | 28.8 | 6.87 | 93.2 | 48.43 |
| 1991 | 7 486 000 | 323 000 | 124 000 | 200 000 | 43.0 | 16.5 | 26.6 | 6.71 | 97.7 | 46.52 |
| 1992 | 7 657 000 | 325 000 | 137 000 | 188 000 | 42.4 | 17.9 | 24.6 | 6.61 | 104.8 | 44.32 |
| 1993 | 7 905 000 | 330 000 | 152 000 | 177 000 | 42.1 | 19.4 | 22.6 | 6.51 | 113.2 | 42.17 |
| 1994 | 6 733 000 | 324 000 | 809 000 | −485 000 | 41.5 | 103.5 | −62.1 | 6.41 | 178.5 | 14.10 |
| 1995 | 5 687 000 | 224 000 | 111 000 | 113 000 | 41.0 | 20.4 | 20.6 | 6.32 | 129.4 | 39.97 |
| 1996 | 6 716 000 | 248 000 | 119 000 | 129 000 | 41.1 | 19.7 | 21.4 | 6.25 | 129.8 | 40.70 |
| 1997 | 7 667 000 | 310 000 | 148 000 | 162 000 | 41.1 | 19.6 | 21.4 | 6.18 | 129.1 | 40.64 |
| 1998 | 7 915 000 | 328 000 | 149 000 | 178 000 | 41.2 | 18.8 | 22.4 | 6.12 | 124.4 | 41.68 |
| 1999 | 8 010 000 | 331 000 | 138 000 | 193 000 | 41.1 | 17.1 | 24.0 | 6.01 | 118.3 | 44.62 |
| 2000 | 8 110 000 | 334 000 | 129 000 | 205 000 | 40.9 | 15.8 | 25.1 | 5.92 | 110.6 | 47.13 |
| 2001 | 8 224 000 | 330 007 | 123 000 | 214 000 | 40.8 | 14.8 | 25.9 | 5.84 | 101.7 | 49.02 |
| 2002 | 8 372 000 | 339 000 | 117 000 | 222 000 | 40.4 | 13.9 | 26.5 | 5.75 | 92.7 | 51.03 |
| 2003 | 8 568 000 | 344 000 | 110 000 | 235 000 | 40.1 | 12.8 | 27.4 | 5.67 | 84.2 | 53.37 |
| 2004 | 8 79 0002 | 351 000 | 102 000 | 249 000 | 39.9 | 11.5 | 28.3 | 5.57 | 76.3 | 55.49 |
| 2005 | 9 026 000 | 357 000 | 95 000 | 261 000 | 39.5 | 10.5 | 28.9 | 5.44 | 69.0 | 57.32 |
| 2006 | 9 270 000 | 360 000 | 91 000 | 269 000 | 38.8 | 9.8 | 29.0 | 5.28 | 62.6 | 58.71 |
| 2007 | 9 523 000 | 362 000 | 88 000 | 275 000 | 38.0 | 9.2 | 28.8 | 5.10 | 57.2 | 59.97 |
| 2008 | 9 782 000 | 362 000 | 85 000 | 278 000 | 37.0 | 8.6 | 28.3 | 4.90 | 52.4 | 61.13 |
| 2009 | 10 044 000 | 361 000 | 83 000 | 278 000 | 35.9 | 8.3 | 27.7 | 4.72 | 48.4 | 61.96 |
| 2010 | 10 309 000 | 359 000 | 83 000 | 276 000 | 34.8 | 8.1 | 26.8 | 4.53 | 44.9 | 62.54 |
| 2011 | 10 577 000 | 356 000 | 83 000 | 273 000 | 33.7 | 7.8 | 25.8 | 4.36 | 41.7 | 63.26 |
| 2012 | 10 840 000 | 356 000 | 82 000 | 274 000 | 32.8 | 7.6 | 25.2 | 4.23 | 39.4 | 64.01 |
| 2013 | 11 101 000 | 360 000 | 81 000 | 279 000 | 32.4 | 7.3 | 25.1 | 4.16 | 37.6 | 64.43 |
| 2014 | 11 368 000 | 365 000 | 79 000 | 286 000 | 32.1 | 7.0 | 25.1 | 4.11 | 36.1 | 64.94 |
| 2015 | 11 643 000 | 371 000 | 78 000 | 293 000 | 31.8 | 6.7 | 25.1 | 4.08 | 34.8 | 65.30 |
| 2016 | 11 931 000 | 378 000 | 77 000 | 300 000 | 31.7 | 6.5 | 25.2 | 4.06 | 33.7 | 65.74 |
| 2017 | 12 230 000 | 384 000 | 78 000 | 306 000 | 31.4 | 6.4 | 25.0 | 4.03 | 32.7 | 65.94 |
| 2018 | 12 532 000 | 391 000 | 78 000 | 313 000 | 31.2 | 6.2 | 24.9 | 3.99 | 32.0 | 66.25 |
| 2019 | 12 835 000 | 395 000 | 79 000 | 316 000 | 30.8 | 6.1 | 24.6 | 3.94 | 31.0 | 66.44 |
| 2020 | 13 146 000 | 399 000 | 79 000 | 320 000 | 30.3 | 6.0 | 24.3 | 3.87 | 30.1 | 66.77 |
| 2021 | 13 355 000 | 392 000 | 83 000 | 310 000 | 29.4 | 6.2 | 23.2 | 3.84 | 29.2 | 66.9 |
| 2022 | 13 651 000 | 394 000 | 82 000 | 312 000 | 28.3 | 6.0 | 22.9 | 3.78 | 28.3 | 67.5 |
| 2023 | 13 954 000 | 396 000 | 83 000 | 313 000 | 28.3 | 5.9 | 22.4 | 3.70 | 27.5 | 67.8 |

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | WFR | CBR | TFR | WFR | CBR | TFR | WFR |
| 1992 | 40.0 | 6.23 | 4.2 | 38.0 | 4.51 | 3.3 | 41.0 | 6.33 | 4.3 |
| 2000 | — | 5.8 | 4.7 | — | 5.2 | 4.1 | — | 5.9 | 4.8 |
| 2005 | 43.2 | 6.1 | 4.6 | 39.8 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 43.8 | 6.3 | 4.8 |
| 2007–08 | 39.2 | 5.5 | 3.7 | 37.4 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 39.6 | 5.7 | 3.8 |
| 2010 | 34.4 | 4.6 | 3.1 | 30.6 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 35.0 | 4.8 | 3.2 |
| 2014–15 | 32.6 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 34.3 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 32.3 | 4.3 | 3.2 |
| 2019-2020 | 31.8 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 32.4 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 31.6 | 4.3 | 3.2 |
Fertility data as of 2014–15 (DHS Program):
| Province | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
| Kigali | 3.6 | 6.9 | 4.6 |
| South | 4.0 | 6.9 | 5.0 |
| West | 4.6 | 7.4 | 5.9 |
| North | 3.7 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
| East | 4.6 | 8.4 | 5.9 |

### Life expectancy

| Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
| 1950–1955 | 40.0 | 1985–1990 | 48.1 |
| 1955–1960 | 41.5 | 1990–1995 | 23.7 |
| 1960–1965 | 43.0 | 1995–2000 | 44.7 |
| 1965–1970 | 44.1 | 2000–2005 | 50.6 |
| 1970–1975 | 44.6 | 2005–2010 | 60.1 |
| 1975–1980 | 45.8 | 2010–2020 | 65.2 |
| 1980–1985 | 49.8 | | |
Source: UN

## Ethnic groups

The Rwandan population largely consists of three ethnic groups. The Hutus, who comprise the majority of the population (85%), are farmers of Bantu origin. The Tutsis (14% before the Genocide, probably less than 10% now) are a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the 15th century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattle-holding.
The Twa (pygmies) (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region.

## Languages

* Kinyarwanda only (official universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%
* Kinyarwanda and other language(s) 6.2%
* French (official) and other language(s) 0.1%
* English (official) and other language(s) 0.1%
* Swahili (or Kiswahili used in commercial centers) 0.02%
* Other 0.03%
* Unspecified 0.3% (2002 est.)

## Religion

Protestant 57.7% (includes Adventist 12.6%), Roman Catholic 38.2%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1% (includes traditional, Jehovah's Witness), none 1.1% (2019-20 est.)