Rwanda population density for 2022 was 553.35, a 2.21% increase from 2021.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Rwanda population density for 2021 was <strong>541.36</strong>, a <strong>2.22% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Rwanda population density for 2020 was <strong>529.62</strong>, a <strong>2.27% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Rwanda population density for 2019 was <strong>517.88</strong>, a <strong>2.31% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>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.

The population density in Rwanda increased by 12 inhabitants per square kilometer (+2.22 percent) in 2022. Therefore, the population density in Rwanda reached a peak in 2022 with 553.35 inhabitants per square kilometer. Notably, the population density continuously increased over the last years.Population density refers to the average number of residents per square kilometer of land across a given country or region. It is calculated by dividing the total midyear population by the total land area.Find more key insights for the population density in countries like Burundi and Tanzania.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Rwanda was reported at 553 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Rwanda - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata.

DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted.

REGION: Africa

SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator)

PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84

UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square

MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743.

FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org)

FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.

Rwanda data available from WorldPop here.

Rwanda RW: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 494.869 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 483.077 Person/sq km for 2016. Rwanda RW: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 255.367 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 494.869 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 121.447 Person/sq km in 1961. Rwanda RW: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Rwanda – Table RW.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. 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.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted Average;

The world's most accurate population datasets. Seven maps/datasets for the distribution of various populations in Rwanda: (1) Overall population density (2) Women (3) Men (4) Children (ages 0-5) (5) Youth (ages 15-24) (6) Elderly (ages 60+) (7) Women of reproductive age (ages 15-49).

Rwanda: Population density, in people per sq. mile: The latest value from is people per sq. mile, unavailable from people per sq. mile in . In comparison, the world average is 0 people per sq. mile, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Rwanda from to is people per sq. mile. The minimum value, people per sq. mile, was reached in while the maximum of people per sq. mile was recorded in .

Rwanda population growth rate for 2023 was 2.20%, a 0.01% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Rwanda population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>2.19%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Rwanda population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>2.19%</strong>, a <strong>0.05% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Rwanda population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>2.24%</strong>, a <strong>0.04% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

This dataset presents a fine-grained population map of Rwanda with a resolution of 100 meters for 2020, generated using the POMELO super-resolution technique that is based on deep learning. Please refer to our Nature Scientific Reports publication for more details.

Background: Traditionally, many countries, including those in sub-Saharan Africa, rely on aggregated census data over expansive spatial units, which are not always timely or accurate. The need for detailed population maps is paramount in several sectors, including urban development, environmental supervision, public health, and humanitarian initiatives. Addressing this gap, the POMELO methodology leverages coarse census data in conjunction with open geodata to produce high precision population maps.

Key Features: Resolution: The map offers a granular view with a 100m ground sampling distance, providing intricate details about population distributions in Rwanda. Data Sources: Utilizing a combination of projected admisistrative census data (UN), and supplementing it with open geodata. Reliability: In comparative experiments conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, POMELO's ability to disaggregate coarse census counts achieved R2 values of 85-89%. Furthermore, its potential to predict population numbers without any census data reached accuracy levels of 48-69%.

Rwanda RW: Population: Growth data was reported at 2.412 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.446 % for 2016. Rwanda RW: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 2.729 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.918 % in 1998 and a record low of -6.185 % in 1993. Rwanda RW: Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Rwanda – Table RW.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision, (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

In 2022, the population density in Africa was 48.3 inhabitants per square kilometer. From 2000 onwards, the density of the population on the continent has increased annually. Moreover, the average number of people living within a square kilometer was expected to increase to around 54 by 2027. Mauritius, Rwanda, and Burundi were the African countries with the highest population density as of 2023.

This bar chart displays population (people) by date using the aggregation sum in Rwanda. The data is about countries per year.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Kigali, Rwanda metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Rwanda RW: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data was reported at 4.820 % in 2013. Rwanda RW: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 4.820 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2013, with 1 observations. Rwanda RW: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Rwanda – Table RW.World Bank: Poverty. The growth rate in the welfare aggregate of the bottom 40% is computed as the annualized average growth rate in per capita real consumption or income of the bottom 40% of the population in the income distribution in a country from household surveys over a roughly 5-year period. Mean per capita real consumption or income is measured at 2011 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet). For some countries means are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The annualized growth rate is computed as (Mean in final year/Mean in initial year)^(1/(Final year - Initial year)) - 1. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported. The initial year refers to the nearest survey collected 5 years before the most recent survey available, only surveys collected between 3 and 7 years before the most recent survey are considered. The final year refers to the most recent survey available between 2011 and 2015. Growth rates for Iraq are based on survey means of 2005 PPP$. The coverage and quality of the 2011 PPP price data for Iraq and most other North African and Middle Eastern countries were hindered by the exceptional period of instability they faced at the time of the 2011 exercise of the International Comparison Program. See PovcalNet for detailed explanations.; ; World Bank, Global Database of Shared Prosperity (GDSP) circa 2010-2015 (http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/brief/global-database-of-shared-prosperity).; ; The comparability of welfare aggregates (consumption or income) for the chosen years T0 and T1 is assessed for every country. If comparability across the two surveys is a major concern for a country, the selection criteria are re-applied to select the next best survey year(s). Annualized growth rates are calculated between the survey years, using a compound growth formula. The survey years defining the period for which growth rates are calculated and the type of welfare aggregate used to calculate the growth rates are noted in the footnotes.

Social distancing is a public health measure intended to reduce infectious disease transmission, by maintaining physical distance between individuals or households. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, populations in many countries around the world have been advised to maintain social distance (also referred to as physical distance), with distances of 6 feet or 2 metres commonly advised. Feasibility of social distancing is dependent on the availability of space and the number of people, which varies geographically. In locations where social distancing is difficult, a focus on alternative measures to reduce disease transmission may be needed. To help identify locations where social distancing is difficult, we have developed an ease of social distancing index. By index, we mean a composite measure, intended to highlight variations in ease of social distancing in urban settings, calculated based on the space available around buildings and estimated population density. Index values were calculated for small spatial units (vector polygons), typically bounded by roads, rivers or other features. This dataset provides index values for small spatial units within urban areas in Rwanda. Measures of population density were calculated from high-resolution gridded population datasets from WorldPop, and the space available around buildings was calculated using building footprint polygons derived from satellite imagery (Ecopia.AI and Maxar Technologies. 2020). These data were produced by the WorldPop Research Group at the University of Southampton. This work was part of the GRID3 project with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Project partners included the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and the Flowminder Foundation.

Social distancing is a public health measure intended to reduce infectious disease transmission, by maintaining physical distance between individuals or households. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, populations in many countries around the world have been advised to maintain social distance (also referred to as physical distance), with distances of 6 feet or 2 metres commonly advised. Feasibility of social distancing is dependent on the availability of space and the number of people, which varies geographically. In locations where social distancing is difficult, a focus on alternative measures to reduce disease transmission may be needed. To help identify locations where social distancing is difficult, we have developed an ease of social distancing index. By index, we mean a composite measure, intended to highlight variations in ease of social distancing in urban settings, calculated based on the space available around buildings and estimated population density. Index values were calculated for small spatial units (vector polygons), typically bounded by roads, rivers or other features. This dataset provides index values for small spatial units within urban areas in Rwanda. Measures of population density were calculated from high-resolution gridded population datasets from WorldPop, and the space available around buildings was calculated using building footprint polygons derived from satellite imagery (Ecopia.AI and Maxar Technologies. 2020). These data were produced by the WorldPop Research Group at the University of Southampton. This work was part of the GRID3 project with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Project partners included the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and the Flowminder Foundation.

Social distancing is a public health measure intended to reduce infectious disease transmission, by maintaining physical distance between individuals or households. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, populations in many countries around the world have been advised to maintain social distance (also referred to as physical distance), with distances of 6 feet or 2 metres commonly advised. Feasibility of social distancing is dependent on the availability of space and the number of people, which varies geographically. In locations where social distancing is difficult, a focus on alternative measures to reduce disease transmission may be needed. To help identify locations where social distancing is difficult, we have developed an ease of social distancing index. By index, we mean a composite measure, intended to highlight variations in ease of social distancing in urban settings, calculated based on the space available around buildings and estimated population density. Index values were calculated for small spatial units (vector polygons), typically bounded by roads, rivers or other features. This dataset provides index values for small spatial units within urban areas in Rwanda. Measures of population density were calculated from high-resolution gridded population datasets from WorldPop, and the space available around buildings was calculated using building footprint polygons derived from satellite imagery (Ecopia.AI and Maxar Technologies. 2020). These data were produced by the WorldPop Research Group at the University of Southampton. This work was part of the GRID3 project with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Project partners included the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and the Flowminder Foundation.

Social distancing is a public health measure intended to reduce infectious disease transmission, by maintaining physical distance between individuals or households. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, populations in many countries around the world have been advised to maintain social distance (also referred to as physical distance), with distances of 6 feet or 2 metres commonly advised. Feasibility of social distancing is dependent on the availability of space and the number of people, which varies geographically. In locations where social distancing is difficult, a focus on alternative measures to reduce disease transmission may be needed. To help identify locations where social distancing is difficult, we have developed an ease of social distancing index. By index, we mean a composite measure, intended to highlight variations in ease of social distancing in urban settings, calculated based on the space available around buildings and estimated population density. Index values were calculated for small spatial units (vector polygons), typically bounded by roads, rivers or other features. This dataset provides index values for small spatial units within urban areas in Rwanda. Measures of population density were calculated from high-resolution gridded population datasets from WorldPop, and the space available around buildings was calculated using building footprint polygons derived from satellite imagery (Ecopia.AI and Maxar Technologies. 2020). These data were produced by the WorldPop Research Group at the University of Southampton. This work was part of the GRID3 project with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Project partners included the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and the Flowminder Foundation.

This bar chart displays urban population (people) by region using the aggregation sum in Rwanda. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

In 2024, the population density in Africa was 51.3 inhabitants per square kilometer. From 2000 onwards, the density of the population on the continent has increased annually. Moreover, the average number of people living within a square kilometer was expected to increase to around 58.5 by 2030. Mauritius, Rwanda, and Burundi were the African countries with the highest population density as of 2023.