The total fertility rate in Uganda decreased by 0.1 children per woman (-2.28 percent) compared to the previous year. Therefore, the fertility rate in Uganda saw its lowest number in that year with 4.28 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) can hypothetically expect to have throughout her reproductive years. As fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy), they refer to a hypothetical woman or cohort, and estimates assume that current age-specific fertility trends would remain constant throughout this person's reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about Uganda with key insights such as infant mortality rate, total life expectancy at birth, and crude birth rate.

Uganda UG: Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data was reported at 4.580 Person in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.690 Person for 2020. Uganda UG: Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 6.525 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2021, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.040 Person in 1990 and a record low of 4.580 Person in 2021. Uganda UG: Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.OECD.GGI: Social: Demography: Non OECD Member: Annual.

Uganda fertility rate for 2025 is 4.23, a 2.33% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Uganda fertility rate for 2024 was <strong>4.33</strong>, a <strong>1.19% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Uganda fertility rate for 2023 was <strong>4.28</strong>, a <strong>2.39% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Uganda fertility rate for 2022 was <strong>4.39</strong>, a <strong>2.71% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.

Uganda UG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 5.591 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.682 Ratio for 2015. Uganda UG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 7.071 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.118 Ratio in 1969 and a record low of 5.591 Ratio in 2016. Uganda UG: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (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; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

Abstract

The 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 8,531 women age 15-49 and 2,503 men age 15-54. The UDHS is the fourth comprehensive survey conducted in Uganda as part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) project. The primary purpose of the UDHS is to furnish policymakers and planners with detailed information on fertility; family planning; infant, child, adult, and maternal mortality; maternal and child health; nutrition; and knowledge of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. In addition, in one in three households selected for the survey, women age 15-49, men age 15-54, and children under age 5 years were weighed and their height was measured. Women, men, and children age 6-59 months in this subset of households were tested for anaemia, and women and children were tested for vitamin A deficiency. The 2006 UDHS is the first DHS survey in Uganda to cover the entire country.

The 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) was designed to provide information on demographic, health, and family planning status and trends in the country. Specifically, the UDHS collected information on fertility levels, marriage, sexual activity, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, and breastfeeding practices. In addition, data were collected on the nutritional status of mothers and young children; infant, child, adult, and maternal mortality; maternal and child health; awareness and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; and levels of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency.

The 2006 UDHS is a follow-up to the 1988-1989, 1995, and 2000-2001 UDHS surveys, which were also implemented by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). The specific objectives of the 2006 UDHS are as follows:

• To collect data at the national level that will allow the calculation of demographic rates, particularly the fertility and infant mortality rates
• To analyse the direct and indirect factors that determine the level and trends in fertility and mortality
• To measure the level of contraceptive knowledge and practice of women and men by method, by urban-rural residence, and by region
• To collect data on knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, and to evaluate patterns of recent behaviour regarding condom use
• To assess the nutritional status of children under age five and women by means of anthropometric measurements (weight and height), and to assess child feeding practices
• To collect data on family health, including immunizations, prevalence and treatment of diarrhoea and other diseases among children under five, antenatal visits, assistance at delivery, and breastfeeding
• To measure vitamin A deficiency in women and children, and to measure anaemia in women, men, and children
• To measure key education indicators including school attendance ratios and primary school grade repetition and dropout rates
• To collect information on the extent of disability
• To collect information on the extent of gender-based violence.

MAIN RESULTS

• Fertility : Survey results indicate that the total fertility rate (TFR) for the country is 6.7 births per woman. The TFR in urban areas is much lower than in the rural areas (4.4 and 7.1 children, respectively). Kampala, whose TFR is 3.7, has the lowest fertility. Fertility rates in Central 1, Central 2, and Southwest regions are also lower than the national level. Removing four districts from the 2006 data that were not covered in the 20002001 UDHS, the 2006 TFR is 6.5 births per woman, compared with 6.9 from the 2000-2001 UDHS. Education and wealth have a marked effect on fertility, with uneducated mothers having about three more children on average than women with at least some secondary education and women in the lowest wealth quintile having almost twice as many children as women in the highest wealth quintile.

• Family planning : Overall, knowledge of family planning has remained consistently high in Uganda over the past five years, with 97 percent of all women and 98 percent of all men age 15-49 having heard of at least one method of contraception. Pills, injectables, and condoms are the most widely known modern methods among both women and men.

• Maternal health : Ninety-four percent of women who had a live birth in the five years preceding the survey received antenatal care from a skilled health professional for their last birth. These results are comparable to the 2000-2001 UDHS. Only 47 percent of women make four or more antenatal care visits during their entire pregnancy, an improvement from 42 percent in the 2000-2001 UDHS. The median duration of pregnancy for the first antenatal visit is 5.5 months, indicating that Ugandan women start antenatal care at a relatively late stage in pregnancy.

• Child health : Forty-six percent of children age 12-23 months have been fully vaccinated. Over nine in ten (91 percent) have received the BCG vaccination, and 68 percent have been vaccinated against measles. The coverage for the first doses of DPT and polio is relatively high (90 percent for each). However, only 64 percent go on to receive the third dose of DPT, and only 59 percent receive their third dose of polio vaccine. There are notable improvements in vaccination coverage since the 2000-2001 UDHS. The percentage of children age 12-23 months fully vaccinated at the time of the survey increased from 37 percent in 2000-2001 to 44 percent in 2006. The percentage who had received none of the six basic vaccinations decreased from 13 percent in 2000-2001 to 8 percent in 2006.

• Malaria : The 2006 UDHS gathered information on the use of mosquito nets, both treated and untreated. The data show that only 34 percent of households in Uganda own a mosquito net, with 16 percent of households owning an insecticide-treated net (ITN). Only 22 percent of children under five slept under a mosquito net on the night before the interview, while a mere 10 percent slept under an ITN.

• Breastfeeding and nutrition : In Uganda, almost all children are breastfed at some point. However, only six in ten children under the age of 6 months are exclusively breast-fed.

• HIV/AIDS AND stis : Knowledge of AIDS is very high and widespread in Uganda. In terms of HIV prevention strategies, women and men are most aware that the chances of getting the AIDS virus can be reduced by limiting sex to one uninfected partner who has no other partners (89 percent of women and 95 percent of men) or by abstaining from sexual intercourse (86 percent of women and 93 percent of men). Knowledge of condoms and the role they can play in preventing transmission of the AIDS virus is not quite as high (70 percent of women and 84 percent of men).

• Orphanhood and vulnerability : Almost one in seven children under age 18 is orphaned (15 percent), that is, one or both parents are dead. Only 3 percent of children under the age of 18 have lost both biological parents.

• Women's status and gender violence : Data for the 2006 UDHS show that women in Uganda are generally less educated than men. Although the gender gap has narrowed in recent years, 19 percent of women age 15-49 have never been to school, compared with only 5 percent of men in the same age group.

• Mortality : At current mortality levels, one in every 13 Ugandan children dies before reaching age one, while one in every seven does not survive to the fifth birthday. After removing districts not covered in the 2000-2001 UDHS from the 2006 data, findings show that infant mortality has declined from 89 deaths per 1,000 live births in the 2000-2001 UDHS to 75 in the 2006 UDHS. Under-five mortality has declined from 158 deaths per 1,000 live births to 137.

Geographic coverage

The sample of the 2006 UDHS was designed to allow separate estimates at the national level and for urban and rural areas of the country. The sample design also allowed for specific indicators, such as contraceptive use, to be calculated for each of nine sub-national regions. Portions of the northern region were oversampled in order to provide estimates for two special areas of interest: Karamoja and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. At the time of the survey there were 56 districts. This number later increased to 80. The following shows the 80 districts divided into the regional sampling strata:

• Central 1: Kalangala, Masaka, Mpigi, Rakai, Lyantonde, Sembabule, and Wakiso
• Central 2: Kayunga, Kiboga, Luwero, Nakaseke, Mubende, Mityana, Mukono, and Nakasongola
• Kampala: Kampala
• East Central: Bugiri, Busia, Iganga, Namutumba, Jinja, Kamuli, Kaliro, and Mayuge
• Eastern: Kaberamaido, Kapchorwa, Bukwa, Katakwi, Amuria, Kumi, Bukedea, Mbale, Bududa, Manafwa, Pallisa, Budaka, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, and Butaleja
• North: Apac, Oyam, Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum, Lira, Amolatar, Dokolo, Pader, Kotido, Abim, Kaabong, Moroto, and Nakapiripirit (Estimates for this region include both settled and IDP populations.) Karamoja area: Kotido, Abim, Kaabong, Moroto, and Nakapiripirit IDP: IDP camps in Apac, Oyam, Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum, Lira, Amolatar, Dokolo and Pader districts
• West Nile: Adjumani, Arua, Koboko, Nyadri, Nebbi, and Yumbe
• Western: Bundibugyo, Hoima, Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kasese, Kibaale, Kyenjojo, Masindi, and Buliisa
• Southwest: Bushenyi, Kabale, Kanungu, Kisoro, Mbarara, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Ntungamo, and Rukungiri

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 15-54
• Children under five

Universe

The population covered by the 2006 UDHS is defined as the universe of alll women age 15-49 who were either permanent residents of the households in the 2006 UDHS sample or visitors present in the household on the night

Abstract

The 2000-2001 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 7,246 women age 15-49 and 1,962 men age 15-54. The main purpose of the 2000-2001 UDHS is to provide policy-makers and programme managers with detailed information on fertility; family planning; childhood and adult mortality; maternal and child health and nutrition; and knowledge of, attitudes about, and practices related to HIV/AIDS. The 2000-2001 UDHS is the third national sample survey of its kind to be undertaken in Uganda. The first survey was implemented in 1988-1989 and was followed by the 1995 UDHS. Caution needs to be exercised when analysing trends using the three UDHS data sets because of some differences in geographic coverage.

The 2000-2001 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) was designed to provide information on demographic, health, and family planning status and trends in the country. Specifically, the UDHS collected information on fertility levels, marriage, sexual activity, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, and breastfeeding practices. In addition, data were collected on the nutritional status of mothers and young children; infant, child, adult, and maternal mortality; maternal and child health; awareness and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; and levels of haemoglobin and vitamin A in the blood.

The 2000-2001 UDHS is a follow-up to the 1988-1989 and 1995 UDHS surveys, which were also implemented by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS, previously the Department of Statistics). The 2000-2001 UDHS is significantly expanded in scope but also provides updated estimates of basic demographic and health indicators covered in the earlier surveys.

The specific objectives of the 2000-2001 UDHS are as follows: - To collect data at the national level that will allow the calculation of demographic rates, particularly the fertility and infant mortality rates - To analyse the direct and indirect factors that determine the level and trends in fertility and mortality - To measure the level of contraceptive knowledge and practice of women and men by method, by urban-rural residence, and by region - To collect data on knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, and to evaluate patterns of recent behaviour regarding condom use - To assess the nutritional status of children under age five and women by means of anthropometric measurements (weight and height), and to assess child feeding practices - To collect data on family health, including immunisations, prevalence and treatment of diarrhoea and other diseases among children under five, antenatal visits, assistance at delivery, and breastfeeding - To measure levels of haemoglobin and vitamin A in the blood of women and children - To collect information on the extent of child labour.

MAIN FINDINGS

• Constant Fertility: The UDHS results show that fertility in Uganda has remained stationary in recent years. The total fertility rate (TFR) declined from 7.3 births per woman recorded in the 1988 survey to 6.9 births for the 1995 UDHS. Since then, the TFR has remained at the same level. The crude birth rate (CBR) from the 2000-2001 survey is 47 births per 1,000 population, essentially the same as that recorded in 1995 (48 births per 1,000 population).

• Unplanned Fertility: Despite increasing use of contraception, the survey data show that unplanned pregnancies are still common in Uganda. One in four births in the five years prior to the survey were mistimed (wanted later), and 15 percent were not wanted at all. If unwanted births could be prevented, the total fertility rate in Uganda would be 5.3 births per woman instead of the actual level of 6.9.

• Fertility regulation: Increasing Use of Contraception. Contraceptive use among currently married women in Uganda has increased from 15 percent in 1995 to 23 percent in 2000-2001. Most of the increase is due to greater use of modern methods (8 percent in 1995 compared with 18 percent in 2000-2001). The most widely used methods in 2000-2001 were injectables (6 percent), the lactational amenorrhoea method (4 percent), and the pill (3 percent). There has been a shift in method mix since 1995, when periodic abstinence, the pill, and injectables were the most widely used methods. Condom use has also increased from 1 percent in 1995 to 2 percent in 2000-2001.

• Maternal and child health: Antenatal Care. Survey data show that antenatal coverage is very high in Uganda. Women receive at least some antenatal care for more than nine in ten births. In most cases, antenatal care is provided by a nurse or a midwife (83 percent). Doctors provide antenatal care to 9 percent of pregnant women, while the role of traditional birth attendants is insignificant. Only 42 percent of pregnant women make four or more antenatal care visits, while another 42 percent make only two or three visits. Moreover, very few women receive antenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy. The majority of women (70 percent) receive tetanus toxoid vaccination during pregnancy, with 42 percent of the women receiving two or more doses of vaccine.

• Nutritional Status of Children: Survey data show that there has been little improvement since 1995 in children's nutritional status. Overall, 39 percent of Ugandan children under five years are classified as stunted (low height-for-age), 4 percent of children under five years are wasted (low weight-for-height), and 23 percent are underweight.

• Nutritional Status of Women: The mean height for Ugandan women is 158 centimetres (cm), which is similar to the mean height obtained in the 1995 UDHS. The cutoff point below which women are identified as short in stature is in the range of 140 to 150 cm. Two percent of women are less than 145 cm tall. Another measure of women's nutritional status is the body mass index (BMI), which is derived by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in metres squared (kg/m2). A cutoff point of 18.5 has been recommended for defining chronic undernutrition. In the 2000-2001 UDHS, the mean BMI for women was 21.9, which falls within normal limits.

• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS: In Uganda, HIV/AIDS has been termed a “household disease”, because nine in ten respondents of either sex knew personally of someone with HIV or who had died of AIDS. Although knowledge of AIDS in Uganda is universal, the level of awareness about the disease is not matched by the knowledge of ways to avoid contracting the virus. The most commonly cited ways are using condoms (54 percent of women and 72 percent of men), abstaining from sexual relations (50 percent of women and 65 percent of men), and having only one sexual partner (49 percent of women and 43 percent of men).

• Mortality : knowledge is uneven. Overall, 58 percent of women know that HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy, 69 percent know about transmission during delivery, and 46 percent know about transmission during breastfeeding. Levels of knowledge among men are similar.

• Knowledge of Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): STIs have been identified as cofactors in HIV/AIDS transmission. Almost half of women and one in four men either have no knowledge of STIs at all or are unable to recognise any symptoms of STIs in a man. Sixty-four percent of women know of some symptoms of STIs in women and 53 percent know of some symptoms in men. Knowledge of symptoms of STIs among men is generally higher than among women.

• HIV/AIDS testing: Eight percent of women and 12 percent of men report that they have been tested for HIV. Women in their twenties and men age 25-39 are the most likely to have had the test. This test is much more common among respondents living in urban areas, in the Central Region, and in Kampala district and among those who have secondary education.

Geographic coverage

The 2000-2001 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) is a nationally representative survey. But it was not possible to cover all 45 districts in the country because of security problems in a few areas. The survey was hence limited to 41 out of the then 45 districts in the country, excluding the districts of Kasese and Bundibugyo in the Western Region and Gulu and Kitgum in the Northern Region. These districts cover approximately 5 percent of the total population.

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 15-54
• Children under five

Universe

The population covered by the 2000 UDHS is defined as the universe of all women age 15-49 in Uganda and all men age 15-54.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The sample was drawn through a two-stage design. The first-stage sample frame for this survey is the list of enumeration areas (EAs) compiled from the 1991 Population Census. In this frame, the EAs are grouped by parish within a subcounty, by subcounty within a county, and by county within a district. A total of 298 EAs (102 in urban areas and 196 in rural areas) were selected. Urban areas and districts included in the Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) project and the Community Reproductive Health Project (CREHP) were oversampled in order to produce estimates for these segments of the population.

Within each selected EA, a complete household listing was done to provide the basis for the second-stage sampling. The number of households to be selected in each sampled EA was allocated proportionally to the number of households in the EA.

It was not possible to cover all districts in the country because of security problems in a few areas. The survey was hence limited to 41 out of the then

Uganda UG: Children Out of School: Female: % of Female Primary School Age data was reported at 7.578 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.288 % for 2011. Uganda UG: Children Out of School: Female: % of Female Primary School Age data is updated yearly, averaging 28.792 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2013, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.828 % in 1979 and a record low of 7.578 % in 2013. Uganda UG: Children Out of School: Female: % of Female Primary School Age data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Children out of school are the percentage of primary-school-age children who are not enrolled in primary or secondary school. Children in the official primary age group that are in preprimary education should be considered out of school.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Uganda birth rate for 2025 is 33.95, a 1.71% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Uganda birth rate for 2024 was <strong>34.55</strong>, a <strong>1.86% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Uganda birth rate for 2023 was <strong>35.20</strong>, a <strong>1.67% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Uganda birth rate for 2022 was <strong>35.80</strong>, a <strong>1.49% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.

Abstract

The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) was conducted by the Ministry of Health in 24 districts between September 1988 and February 1989. The sample covered 4730 women aged 15-49. Nine northern districts were not surveyed due to security reasons. The purpose of the survey was to provide planners and policymakers with baseline information regarding fertility, family planning, and maternal and child health. The survey data were also needed by UNFPA and UNICEF- Kampala for planning and evaluation of current projects in Uganda.

The primary objective of the UDHS was to provide data on fertility, family planning, childhood mortality and basic indicators of maternal and child health. Additional information was collected on educational level, literacy, sources of household water and housing conditions. The available demographic data were incomplete and hardly any recent information concerning family planning or other health and social indicators existed at the national level.

A more specific objective was to provide baseline data for the South West region and the area in Central region known as the Luwero Triangle, where the Uganda government and UNICEF are currently supporting a primary health care project. In order to effectively plan strategies and to evaluate progress in meeting the project goals and objectives, there was a need to collect data on the health of the target population.

Another important goal of UDHS was to enhance the skills of those participating in the project so that they could conduct high-quality surveys in the future. Finally, the contribution of Ugandan data to an expanding international data set was an objective of the UDHS.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The UDHS data indicate that fertility is high in Uganda, with women having an average of seven births by the time they reach the end of their childbearing years. Overall, fertility in Uganda has remained the same, that is, just over seven children per woman during the last 15 years. Women in urban areas, especially Kampala, have fewer children than women in rural areas. A significant finding is that fertility is linked to education: women with higher education have an average of 5 births, compared with 7 births for women with primary education. Childbearing begins at an early age, with 60 percent of Ugandan women having their first birth before the age of 20. Less than 3 percent of women have their first birth at age 25 or older.

A major factor contributing to high fertility is age at first marriage; 54 percent of women marry before they reach 18 years of age and only 2 percent remain unmarried throughout their entire life. However, with increasing levels of education among women, there is evidence of a trend toward later marriage. The median age at first union has risen from 17 for older women to 18 for those age 20-24. Urban women marry 2 years later on average than rural women, while women with middle and higher education marry 4 years later than women with no education. Polygyny is common in Uganda, with 33 percent of currently married women reporting that their husband has other wives. The practice declines with higher levels of education.

Breastfeeding and postpartum abstinence provide some protection from pregnancy after the birth of a child. In Uganda, babies are breastfed for an average of 19 months and postpartum amenorrhoea lasts an average of 13 months. However, sexual abstinence after a birth is short, with an average duration of only 4 months. UDHS data show a decline in duration of breastfeeding and postpartum abstinence, especially among younger, urban, and educated women.

The low level of contraceptive use in Uganda is one of the leading factors contributing to high fertility, as evidenced by the UDHS data. Although 84 percent of currently married Ugandan women know at least one contraceptive method and 77 percent know of a source for a contraceptive method, only 22 percent have ever used a method; and only 5 percent are currently using a method. Low rates of use are due partially to the desire of women to have many children. However, access to family planning services may also be a factor since most clinics are in urban areas, while 89 percent of women live in rural areas.

Among currently married women using contraception, periodic abstinence is the most common method used (1.6 percent), followed by pill (1.1 percent) and female sterilisation (0.8 percen0. Contraceptive use is higher among women with more children and women who reside in urban areas, especially Kampala. There are strong differentials in family planning use by education level. The level of use among women with higher education is eighteen times the rate for women with no education. Forty-two percent of users of modern methods obtained their method from government hospitals, while 33 percent reported Family Planning Association of Uganda (FPAU) clinics as the source. Ten percent of users rely on private sources such as private doctors and clinics. The most common reasons for nonuse of contraception cited by women who are exposed to the risk of pregnancy, but do not want to get pregnant immediately are: fear of side effects, prohibition by religion, lack of knowledge, and disapproval by parmer.

Despite the low level of contraceptive use in Uganda, the UDHS indicates that the potential need for family planning is great. Although 39 percent of the currently married women want another child soon (within 2 years), 33 percent want to space their pregnancies for at least two years and another 19 percent want no more children. This means that 52 percent of currently married women in the surveyed area are potentially in need of family planning services either to limit or to space their births. Furthermore, 35 percent of the women who had a birth in the 12 months prior to the survey indicated that their last birth was either unwanted or mistimed.

UDHS data indicate that infant and childhood mortality remain high. For every thousand live births, 100 children die before reaching their first birthday and 180 children die before reaching age five. While these rates indicate high levels of mortality, there is some evidence that rates have declined in the five years before the survey. Forty-four percent of children under five with health cards have been fully immunised against the major vaccine-preventable diseases. This percentage is higher if children without health cards who have been immunised are included.

UDHS data further indicated high levels of prevalence of certain illnesses. Of children under five, 24 percent had diarrhea in the two weeks before the survey. Forty-one percent of children under five were reported to have had a fever in the previous four weeks and 22 percent had an episode of severe cough with difficult or rapid breathing in the four weeks preceding the interview. Various types of treatment including antibiotics and antimalarials were used to treat the illnesses.

The nutritional status of children in Uganda was assessed from UDHS data. Overall, 45 percent of the children age 0-60 months were found to be stunted, that is, two or more standard deviations below the mean reference population for height-for-age. These children are defined as chronically undernourished.

Geographic coverage

The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) was conductedin 24 districts. Nine northern districts were not surveyed due to security reasons.

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49

Universe

The population covered by the 1988 UDHS is defined as the universe of all women age 15-49 in Uganda and all men age 15-54 living in the household. But due to security problems at the time of sample selection, 9 districts, containing an estimated 20 percent of the country's population, were excluded from the sample frame

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The UDHS used a stratified, weighted probability sample of women aged 15-49 selected from 206 clusters. Due to security problems at the time of sample selection, 9 districts, containing an estimated 20 percent of the country's population, were excluded from the sample frame. Primary sampling units in rural areas were sub-parishes, which, in the absence of a more reliable sampling frame, were selected with a probability proportional to the number of registered taxpayers in the sub-parish. Teams visited each selected sub-parish and listed all the households by name of the household head. Individual households were then selected for interview from this list.

Because Ugandans often pay taxes in rural areas or in their place of work instead of their place of residence, it was not possible to use taxpayer rolls as a sampling frame in urban areas. Consequently, a complete list of all administrative urban areas known as Resistance Council Ones (RCls) was compiled, and a sampling frame was created by systematically selecting 200 of these units with equal probability. The households in these RCls were listed, and 50 RCls were selected with probability proportional to size. Finally, 20 households were then systematically selected in each of the 50 RCls for a total of 1,000 urban households.

SAMPLE DESIGN

The sample used for the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey was a stratified, weighted probability sample of women aged 15-49 selected from 206 clusters. Due to security problems at the time of sample selection, 9 of the country's 34 districts, containing an estimated 20 percent of the population, were excluded from the sample frame. Primary sampling units in rural areas were sub-parishes, which, in the absence of a more reliable sampling frame, were selected with a probability proportional to the number of registered taxpayers in the sup-parish.

The South West region and

Abstract

The 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (2016 UDHS) was implemented by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The survey sample was designed to provide estimates of population and health indicators including fertility and child mortality rates for the country as a whole, for the urban and rural areas separately, and for each of the 15 regions in Uganda (South Central, North Central, Busoga, Kampala, Lango, Acholi, Tooro, Bunyoro, Bukedi, Bugisu, Karamoja, Teso, Kigezi, Ankole, and West Nile).

The primary objective of the 2016 UDHS project is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the 2016 UDHS collected information on: • Key demographic indicators, particularly fertility and under-5, adult, and maternal mortality rates • Direct and indirect factors that determine levels of and trends in fertility and child mortality • Contraceptive knowledge and practice • Key aspects of maternal and child health, including immunisation coverage among children, prevalence and treatment of diarrhoea and other diseases among children under age 5, and maternity care indicators such as antenatal visits and assistance at delivery • Child feeding practices, including breastfeeding, and anthropometric measures to assess the nutritional status of women, men, and children • Knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS, potential exposure to the risk of HIV infection (risk behaviours and condom use), and coverage of HIV testing and counselling (HTC) and other key HIV/AIDS programmes • Anaemia in women, men, and children • Malaria prevalence in children as a follow-up to the 2014-15 Uganda Malaria Indicator Survey • Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in children • Key education indicators, including school attendance ratios, level of educational attainment, and literacy levels • The extent of disability • Early childhood development • The extent of gender-based violence

The information collected through the 2016 UDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in evaluating and designing programs and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15-54

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2016 UDHS is the frame of the Uganda National Population and Housing Census (NPHC), conducted in 2014; the sampling frame was provided by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The census frame is a complete list of all census enumeration areas (EAs) created for the 2014 NPHC. In Uganda, an EA is a geographic area that covers an average of 130 households. The sampling frame contains information about EA location, type of residence (urban or rural), and the estimated number of residential households.

The 2016 UDHS sample was stratified and selected in two stages. In the first stage, 697 EAs were selected from the 2014 Uganda NPHC: 162 EAs in urban areas and 535 in rural areas. One cluster from Acholi subregion was eliminated because of land disputes. Households constituted the second stage of sampling.

For further details on sample design, see Appendix A of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Cleaning operations

All electronic data files for the 2016 UDHS were transferred via IFSS to the UBOS central office in Kampala, where they were stored on a password-protected computer. The data processing operation included registering and checking for inconsistencies, incompleteness, and outliers. Data editing and cleaning included structure and consistency checks to ensure completeness of work in the field. The central office also conducted secondary editing, which required resolution of computer-identified inconsistencies and coding of open-ended questions. The data were processed by four staff (two programmers and two data editors) who took part in the main fieldwork training. They were supervised by three senior staff from UBOS. Data editing was accomplished with CSPro software. Secondary editing and data processing were initiated in August 2016 and completed in January 2017.

Response rate

A total of 20,791 households were selected for the sample, of which 19,938 were occupied. Of the occupied households, 19,588 were successfully interviewed, which yielded a response rate of 98%.

In the interviewed households, 19,088 eligible women were identified for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 18,506 women, yielding a response rate of 97%. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 5,676 eligible men were identified and 5,336 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 94%. Response rates were higher in rural than in urban areas, with the ruralurban difference being more pronounced among men (95% and 90%, respectively) than among women (98% and 95%, respectively).

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: nonsampling errors and sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) to minimise this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2016 UDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability among all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.

Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95% of all possible samples of identical size and design.

If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2016 UDHS sample is the result of a multi-stage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulas. Sampling errors are computed in SAS, using programs developed by ICF. These programs use the Taylor linearisation method to estimate variances for survey estimates that are means, proportions, or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.

A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in Appendix B of the survey final report.

Data appraisal

Data Quality Tables - Household age distribution - Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women - Age distribution of eligible and interviewed men - Completeness of reporting - Births by calendar years - Reporting of age at death in days - Reporting of age at death in months - Completeness of information on siblings - Sibship size and sex ratio of siblings - Pregnancy-related mortality trends

See details of the data quality tables in Appendix C of the survey final report.

Uganda UG: Children Out of School: % of Primary School Age data was reported at 9.002 % in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.562 % for 2011. Uganda UG: Children Out of School: % of Primary School Age data is updated yearly, averaging 27.730 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2013, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62.787 % in 1979 and a record low of 9.002 % in 2013. Uganda UG: Children Out of School: % of Primary School Age data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Children out of school are the percentage of primary-school-age children who are not enrolled in primary or secondary school. Children in the official primary age group that are in preprimary education should be considered out of school.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Uganda: Anemia, percent of children ages 6-59 months: The latest value from 2019 is 51.7 percent, a decline from 52.2 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 33.56 percent, based on data from 184 countries. Historically, the average for Uganda from 2000 to 2019 is 61.21 percent. The minimum value, 51.7 percent, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 72.9 percent was recorded in 2000.

The 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 8,531 women age 15-49 and 2,503 men age 15-54. The UDHS is the fourth comprehensive survey conducted in Uganda as part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) project. The primary purpose of the UDHS is to furnish policymakers and planners with detailed information on fertility; family planning; infant, child, adult, and maternal mortality; maternal and child health; nutrition; and knowledge of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. In addition, in one in three households selected for the survey, women age 15-49, men age 15-54, and children under age 5 years were weighed and their height was measured. Women, men, and children age 6-59 months in this subset of households were tested for anaemia, and women and children were tested for vitamin A deficiency. The 2006 UDHS is the first DHS survey in Uganda to cover the entire country. The 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) was designed to provide information on demographic, health, and family planning status and trends in the country. Specifically, the UDHS collected information on fertility levels, marriage, sexual activity, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, and breastfeeding practices. In addition, data were collected on the nutritional status of mothers and young children; infant, child, adult, and maternal mortality; maternal and child health; awareness and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections; and levels of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency. The 2006 UDHS is a follow-up to the 1988-1989, 1995, and 2000-2001 UDHS surveys, which were also implemented by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS). The specific objectives of the 2006 UDHS are as follows: To collect data at the national level that will allow the calculation of demographic rates, particularly the fertility and infant mortality rates To analyse the direct and indirect factors that determine the level and trends in fertility and mortality To measure the level of contraceptive knowledge and practice of women and men by method, by urban-rural residence, and by region To collect data on knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, and to evaluate patterns of recent behaviour regarding condom use To assess the nutritional status of children under age five and women by means of anthropometric measurements (weight and height), and to assess child feeding practices To collect data on family health, including immunizations, prevalence and treatment of diarrhoea and other diseases among children under five, antenatal visits, assistance at delivery, and breastfeeding To measure vitamin A deficiency in women and children, and to measure anaemia in women, men, and children To measure key education indicators including school attendance ratios and primary school grade repetition and dropout rates To collect information on the extent of disability To collect information on the extent of gender-based violence. MAIN RESULTS Fertility : Survey results indicate that the total fertility rate (TFR) for the country is 6.7 births per woman. The TFR in urban areas is much lower than in the rural areas (4.4 and 7.1 children, respectively). Kampala, whose TFR is 3.7, has the lowest fertility. Fertility rates in Central 1, Central 2, and Southwest regions are also lower than the national level. Removing four districts from the 2006 data that were not covered in the 20002001 UDHS, the 2006 TFR is 6.5 births per woman, compared with 6.9 from the 2000-2001 UDHS. Education and wealth have a marked effect on fertility, with uneducated mothers having about three more children on average than women with at least some secondary education and women in the lowest wealth quintile having almost twice as many children as women in the highest wealth quintile. Family planning : Overall, knowledge of family planning has remained consistently high in Uganda over the past five years, with 97 percent of all women and 98 percent of all men age 15-49 having heard of at least one method of contraception. Pills, injectables, and condoms are the most widely known modern methods among both women and men. Maternal health : Ninety-four percent of women who had a live birth in the five years preceding the survey received antenatal care from a skilled health professional for their last birth. These results are comparable to the 2000-2001 UDHS. Only 47 percent of women make four or more antenatal care visits during their entire pregnancy, an improvement from 42 percent in the 2000-2001 UDHS. The median duration of pregnancy for the first antenatal visit is 5.5 months, indicating that Ugandan women start antenatal care at a relatively late stage in pregnancy. Child health : Forty-six percent of children age 12-23 months have been fully vaccinated. Over nine in ten (91 percent) have received the BCG vaccination, and 68 percent have been vaccinated against measles. The coverage for the first doses of DPT and polio is relatively high (90 percent for each). However, only 64 percent go on to receive the third dose of DPT, and only 59 percent receive their third dose of polio vaccine. There are notable improvements in vaccination coverage since the 2000-2001 UDHS. The percentage of children age 12-23 months fully vaccinated at the time of the survey increased from 37 percent in 2000-2001 to 44 percent in 2006. The percentage who had received none of the six basic vaccinations decreased from 13 percent in 2000-2001 to 8 percent in 2006. Malaria : The 2006 UDHS gathered information on the use of mosquito nets, both treated and untreated. The data show that only 34 percent of households in Uganda own a mosquito net, with 16 percent of households owning an insecticide-treated net (ITN). Only 22 percent of children under five slept under a mosquito net on the night before the interview, while a mere 10 percent slept under an ITN. Breastfeeding and nutrition : In Uganda, almost all children are breastfed at some point. However, only six in ten children under the age of 6 months are exclusively breast-fed. HIV/AIDS AND stis : Knowledge of AIDS is very high and widespread in Uganda. In terms of HIV prevention strategies, women and men are most aware that the chances of getting the AIDS virus can be reduced by limiting sex to one uninfected partner who has no other partners (89 percent of women and 95 percent of men) or by abstaining from sexual intercourse (86 percent of women and 93 percent of men). Knowledge of condoms and the role they can play in preventing transmission of the AIDS virus is not quite as high (70 percent of women and 84 percent of men). Orphanhood and vulnerability : Almost one in seven children under age 18 is orphaned (15 percent), that is, one or both parents are dead. Only 3 percent of children under the age of 18 have lost both biological parents. Women's status and gender violence : Data for the 2006 UDHS show that women in Uganda are generally less educated than men. Although the gender gap has narrowed in recent years, 19 percent of women age 15-49 have never been to school, compared with only 5 percent of men in the same age group. Mortality : At current mortality levels, one in every 13 Ugandan children dies before reaching age one, while one in every seven does not survive to the fifth birthday. After removing districts not covered in the 2000-2001 UDHS from the 2006 data, findings show that infant mortality has declined from 89 deaths per 1,000 live births in the 2000-2001 UDHS to 75 in the 2006 UDHS. Under-five mortality has declined from 158 deaths per 1,000 live births to 137.

Niger had the highest birth rate in the world in 2024, with a birth rate of 46.6 births per 1,000 inhabitants. Angola, Benin, Mali, and Uganda followed. Except for Afghanistan, all the 20 countries with the highest birth rates in the world were located in Sub-Saharan Africa. High infant mortality The reasons behind the high birth rates in many Sub-Saharan African countries are manyfold, but a major reason is that infant mortality remains high on the continent, despite decreasing steadily over the past decades, resulting in high birth rates to counter death rates. Moreover, many nations in Sub-Saharan Africa are highly reliant on small-scale farming, meaning that more hands are of importance. Additionally, polygamy is not uncommon in the region, and having many children is often seen as a symbol of status. Fastest growing populations As the high fertility rates coincide with decreasing death rates, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest population growth rates in the world. As a result, with Africa's population forecast to increase from 1.4 billion in 2022 to over 3.9 billion by 2100.

Uganda UG: Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate: Primary: % of Primary School Age Children data was reported at 90.998 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 90.438 % for 2011. Uganda UG: Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate: Primary: % of Primary School Age Children data is updated yearly, averaging 72.270 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2013, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90.998 % in 2013 and a record low of 37.213 % in 1979. Uganda UG: Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate: Primary: % of Primary School Age Children data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adjusted net enrollment is the number of pupils of the school-age group for primary education, enrolled either in primary or secondary education, expressed as a percentage of the total population in that age group.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Uganda UG: Exclusive Breastfeeding: % of Children under 6 Months data was reported at 65.500 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 62.333 % for 2011. Uganda UG: Exclusive Breastfeeding: % of Children under 6 Months data is updated yearly, averaging 62.766 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2016, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.600 % in 1989 and a record low of 57.400 % in 1995. Uganda UG: Exclusive Breastfeeding: % of Children under 6 Months data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank: Health Statistics. Exclusive breastfeeding refers to the percentage of children less than six months old who are fed breast milk alone (no other liquids) in the past 24 hours.; ; UNICEF, State of the World's Children, Childinfo, and Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

In 2021, there were around *** million children aged 0-4 years in Africa. In total, the population aged 17 years and younger amounted to approximately *** million. In contrast, only approximately ** million individuals were aged 65 years and older as of the same year. The youngest continent in the world Africa is the continent with the youngest population worldwide. As of 2023, around ** percent of the population was aged 15 years and younger, compared to a global average of 25 percent. Although the median age on the continent has been increasing annually, it remains low at around ***years. There are several reasons behind the low median age. One factor is the low life expectancy at birth: On average, the male and female population in Africa live between 61 and 65 years, respectively. In addition, poor healthcare on the continent leads to high mortality, also among children and newborns, while the high fertility rate contributes to lowering the median age. Cross-country demographic differences Africa’s demographic characteristics are not uniform across the continent. The age structure of the population differs significantly from one country to another. For instance, Niger and Uganda have the lowest median age in Africa, at **** and **** years, respectively. Not surprisingly, these countries also register a high crude birth rate. On the other hand, North Africa is the region recording the highest life expectancy at birth, with Algeria leading the ranking in 2023.

This statistic shows the age structure in Uganda from 2014 to 2024. In 2024, about 43.54 percent of Uganda's total population were aged 0 to 14 years, 54.27 percent were aged 15 to 64 years and 2.19 percent were 65 years old and older.

Uganda UG: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data was reported at 80.000 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 78.700 % for 2011. Uganda UG: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data is updated yearly, averaging 73.000 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80.000 % in 2016 and a record low of 61.000 % in 1995. Uganda UG: ARI Treatment: % of Children Under 5 Taken to a Health Provider data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Children with acute respiratory infection (ARI) who are taken to a health provider refers to the percentage of children under age five with ARI in the last two weeks who were taken to an appropriate health provider, including hospital, health center, dispensary, village health worker, clinic, and private physician.; ; UNICEF, State of the World's Children, Childinfo, and Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

Uganda UG: Prevalence of Anemia among Children: % of Children Under 5 data was reported at 51.100 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 52.100 % for 2015. Uganda UG: Prevalence of Anemia among Children: % of Children Under 5 data is updated yearly, averaging 69.100 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.400 % in 1990 and a record low of 51.100 % in 2016. Uganda UG: Prevalence of Anemia among Children: % of Children Under 5 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Prevalence of anemia, children under age 5, is the percentage of children under age 5 whose hemoglobin level is less than 110 grams per liter at sea level.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.1?lang=en).; Weighted average; Anemia is defined as a low blood haemoglobin concentration. Anaemia may result from a number of causes, with the most significant contributor being iron deficiency. Anaemia resulting from iron deficiency adversely affects cognitive and motor development and causes fatigue and low productivity. Children under age 5 and pregnant women have the highest risk for anemia.