Population of Rwanda

As of May 2026, the population of Rwanda is 15 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 326 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 2.20%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 18.3 years in 2016 to 20.1 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 68 years and population density is 622.1 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Rwanda peaked in 1996, reaching around 22.45% annually, but has since declined to approximately 2.16% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 1.5 million in 1996 to nearly 325.68 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Rwanda, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 58.7 years in 2006 to 68 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 9 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Rwanda

The cities of Rwanda are mostly small, but 4 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Kigali, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 1.1 million inhabitants. It is followed by Gisenyi, Western Province with 172.4 thousand and Musanze, Northern Province with 153.4 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Rwanda: