The total population in Uganda was estimated at 50.0 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Uganda Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This statistic shows the total population of Uganda from 2014 to 2024 by gender. In 2024, Uganda's female population amounted to approximately 25.21 million, while the male population amounted to approximately 24.81 million inhabitants.

The total population of Uganda was estimated at approximately 46.62 million people in 2024. Following a continuous upward trend, the total population has risen by around 35.36 million people since 1980. Between 2024 and 2030, the total population will rise by around 10.68 million people, continuing its consistent upward trajectory.This indicator describes the total population in the country at hand. This total population of the country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.

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 integrating census, survey, satellite and GIS data sets 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. 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. Uganda data available from WorldPop here.

Abstract

Overview of the Census The National Population and Housing Census 2024 was conducted in line with international best practices and guided by the need to produce accurate, relevant, and timely data. Covering all households and individuals across the country, this census marks a significant milestone in Uganda’s journey towards data-driven development. The specific objectives of the NPHC 2024 were: i) To ascertain size, structure and distribution of the population ii) To gather data on housing conditions and access to basic services iii) To monitor changes in key social and economic indicators since the previous Census iv) To update census maps and lists of Enumeration Areas for effective execution of the census, construction of efficient area sampling frames for subsequent surveys and geographical maps at the lowest level. v) To establish the statistical infrastructure for future operations at the lowest Local Government level. vi) To further enhance the capacity of UBOS staff to undertake future censuses and large-scale sample surveys. vii) Inform policies and programmes aimed at improving the quality of life of all Ugandans

Uses of National Population and Housing Censuses The findings of the 2024 Census will be instrumental in shaping Uganda’s development agenda. They provide a basis for: a) Planning: Facilitating evidence based National and Local Government planning processes. b) Resource Allocation: Enabling equitable distribution of resources across programmes and Local Governments. c) Program Design: Informing interventions in social services such as health, education, infrastructure, and housing, to mention a few. d) Monitoring Progress: Tracking Uganda’s advancements towards achieving socio-economic transformation as envisioned in Vision 2040, the National Development Plans, as well as regional, continental and global development initiatives.

Key Findings 1. Population Size and Growth: Uganda’s population as of May 2024 was 45,905,417 persons, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 2.9 percent since the last Census in 2014. 2. Demographic Composition: A half of the population is under the age of 18. Five in every one hundred persons are aged 60 and above. 3. Housing and Living Conditions: i) Eight in ten (81.1%) households have access to improved water sources ii) Slightly over a half (53.4%) of households have access to electricity (25.3% from grid and 28.1% from solar). 4. Literacy: Seventy four percent of persons aged 10 and above were able to read and write meaningfully in any language. 5. Well-being and Health: i) One third (33.1%) of the households were in subsistence economy. ii) Twelve percent of persons aged 10 and above had experienced at least some form of probable general psychological distress. 6. Labour Force (15 years and above): i) The working age group was 25,494,490 persons (57.4% of the population). ii) The unemployment rate was 12.3 percent. iii) The share of Youth (15-24 years) Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) was 4,001,528 persons (42.6%)

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

The units of analysis for the NPHC 2024 include; - Individuals - Households - Housing

Universe

The census was done on a de facto basis i.e. every person was enumerated where he/she spent the Census Reference Night of 9th May 2024.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

The questionnaires for the National Population and Housing Census 2024 structured and included: - HOUSEHOLD: Characteristics of household members, housing and household characteristics, agriculture, deaths in the household, and information on physical address.

-INSTITUTION: Characteristics of institution members.

Uganda UG: Population: Growth data was reported at 3.260 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.291 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 3.287 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.550 % in 1988 and a record low of 2.648 % in 1973. Uganda UG: Population: Growth 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: 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 1800, the population of the region that makes up today's Republic of Uganda was just over two million people. Throughout the 19th century, the population of Uganda would see only modest growth, as increased exposure to the outside world would lead to a series of epidemics afflicting the population, including a devastating outbreak of rinderpest in 1891 killing off much of the region’s cattle, and several outbreaks of smallpox. Uganda’s population would begin to grow more rapidly in the years following the First World War, in part the result of economic growth from wartime agricultural production (unlike neighboring Tanzania, Uganda was spared much of the conflict in East Africa, and as a result saw a significant expansion of cash crop production).

The population of Uganda would continue to grow throughout the remainder of the 20th century, particularly so following the country’s independence from the British Empire in 1962. However, this growth would slow through the 1970s under Idi Amin’s Second Republic of Uganda, which saw real wage and salaries decrease by 90% in less than a decade, and mass expulsions and terror campaigns resulting in a significant number of deaths and refugees throughout the country. Following Idi Amin’s ousting from power in the 1979 Ugandan-Tanzanian War, Uganda’s population has continued to rise exponentially, and in 2020, Uganda is estimated to have a population of approximately 45.7 million.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Uganda (POPTOTUGA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about Uganda and population.

Population, female (% of total population) in Uganda was reported at 50.4 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Uganda - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Historical dataset showing total population for Uganda by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 2023, the annual population growth in Uganda was 2.8 percent. Between 1961 and 2023, the figure dropped by 0.05 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data was reported at 0.524 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.532 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.697 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.718 % in 1960 and a record low of 0.520 % in 2011. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 70-74: % of Male Population 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, 2016

Population growth rate of Uganda fell by 1.68% from 2.8 % in 2023 to 2.8 % in 2024. Since the 5.08% jump in 2017, population growth rate plummeted by 21.11% in 2024. 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--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of the country of origin.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Uganda was reported at 236 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Uganda - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 15 to 64 for Uganda (SPPOP1564TOZSUGA) from 1960 to 2024 about Uganda, 15 to 64 years, and population.

Rural population (% of total population) in Uganda was reported at 72.61 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Uganda - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for Uganda including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

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.