Uganda UG: Urban Population Growth data was reported at 5.757 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.815 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Urban Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 6.132 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.818 % in 1966 and a record low of 3.743 % in 1973. Uganda UG: Urban 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. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

The share of urban population in Uganda was 26.77 percent in 2023. In a steady upward trend, the share rose by 22.35 percentage points from 1960.

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;

Uganda UG: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 213.759 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 206.902 Person/sq km for 2016. Uganda UG: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 84.311 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 213.759 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 35.066 Person/sq km in 1961. Uganda UG: 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 Uganda – Table UG.World Bank.WDI: 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;

As of 2023, Burundi and Uganda registered the highest growth rate of urbanization in Africa. Their urban populations expanded by nearly 5.6 percent each. Tanzania followed, with five percent growth rate. In contrast, the urban population in Mauritius increased by only 0.3 percent.

Uganda UG: Urban Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 23.196 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.624 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Urban Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 10.466 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.196 % in 2017 and a record low of 4.417 % in 1960. Uganda UG: Urban Population: % of Total 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. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for Uganda Urban Population

Uganda UG: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 28.596 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 28.838 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 40.580 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 54.310 % in 1969 and a record low of 28.596 % in 2017. Uganda UG: Population in Largest City: as % of Urban 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. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted average;

Abstract

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics Act No. 12 of 1998 provides for the Minister responsible for Planning to direct ‘that a Census be taken’ on any matter specified in the Act. This was the legal basis for conducting the National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) 2014. The long-term objective of the National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) 2014 is to ensure availability of bench-mark demographic and socio economic data for use in planning, evidence based decision making, policy formulation and programme evaluation.

The enumeration for the 2014 Census was conducted in August/September 2014 and provisional results were released in November 2014, giving the total population of administrtaive areas by sex. The final results are presented in broad categories of population and household characteristics and housing conditions. The population characteristics covered include spatial distribution of the population, age and sex composition, religious and ethnic composition, education and literacy, economic activity, orphanhood and disability. The household and housing conditions include socio-economic amenities available to households and quality of housing.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• The units of analysis for the NPHC 2014 were: individuals, households, and communities.

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents) and non-household population, including those in institutions and hotels

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire for the Generic NPHC 2014 was structured questionnaire based on the PHC Model Questionnaire with some modifications and additions. The household questionnaire was administered in each household, which collected various information on household members including sex, age, relationship, and orphanhood status. The household questionnaire includes household characteristics, support to orphaned and vulnerable children, education, child labour, water and sanitation, household use of insecticide treated mosquito nets, and salt iodization, with optional modules for child discipline, child disability, maternal mortality and security of tenure and durability of housing.

The questionnaires were developed in English from the MICS3 Model Questionnaires, and were translated into Mumbo-jumbo. After an initial review the questionnaires were translated back into English by an independent translator with no prior knowledge of the survey. The back translation from the Mumbo-jumbo version was independently reviewed and compared to the English original. Differences in translation were reviewed and resolved in collaboration with the original translators. The English and Mumbo-jumbo questionnaires were both piloted as part of the survey pretest.

The questionnaire and module is provided as external resources.

Data appraisal

The census planning process took special measures to ensure quality of census data through adequate training and supervision. In addition special measures were undertaken including subdivision and mapping of the country into manageable Enumeration Areas. The Post Enumeration Survey (PES) was used as one of the tools to evaluate the quality of the census data through testing the completeness of coverage and content accuracy.

East Africa is one of the fastest urbanizing areas in the whole continent. From 2000 to 2018, urbanization in the region grew by 4.5 percent. Uganda and Burundi had the fastest urban growth rates, at six and 5.7 percent, respectively. In contrast, Djibouti's urban population expanded by 1.6 percent. Even though, the country was still the most urbanized in East Africa, with a share of close to 78 percent of urban population, in 2018.

Uganda UG: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data was reported at 53.600 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 60.100 % for 2009. Uganda UG: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 66.700 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2014, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75.000 % in 2000 and a record low of 53.600 % in 2014. Uganda UG: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban 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. Population living in slums is the proportion of the urban population living in slum households. A slum household is defined as a group of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, and durability of housing.; ; UN HABITAT, retrieved from the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals database. Data are available at : http://mdgs.un.org/; Weighted average;

Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data was reported at 3.762 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.719 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 3.602 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.371 % in 1965 and a record low of 3.018 % in 2003. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % 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 40 to 44 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 UG: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data was reported at 1.909 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.853 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.227 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.781 % in 1975 and a record low of 1.700 % in 2010. Uganda UG: Population: Male: Ages 50-54: % 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 50 to 54 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 UG: Population in Largest City data was reported at 2,843,137.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,706,790.000 Person for 2016. Uganda UG: Population in Largest City data is updated yearly, averaging 702,975.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,843,137.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 137,486.000 Person in 1960. Uganda UG: Population in Largest City 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. Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; ;

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa. As of 2025, the country counted over 237.5 million individuals, whereas Ethiopia, which ranked second, has around 135.5 million inhabitants. Egypt registered the largest population in North Africa, reaching nearly 118.4 million people. In terms of inhabitants per square kilometer, Nigeria only ranked seventh, while Mauritius had the highest population density on the whole African continent in 2023. The fastest-growing world region Africa is the second most populous continent in the world, after Asia. Nevertheless, Africa records the highest growth rate worldwide, with figures rising by over two percent every year. In some countries, such as Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic, the population increase peaks at over 3.4 percent. With so many births, Africa is also the youngest continent in the world. However, this coincides with a low life expectancy. African cities on the rise The last decades have seen high urbanization rates in Asia, mainly in China and India. African cities are also growing at large rates. Indeed, the continent has three megacities and is expected to add four more by 2050. Furthermore, Africa's fastest-growing cities are forecast to be Bujumbura, in Burundi, and Zinder, Nigeria, by 2035.

Uganda UG: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 42.144 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 42.631 Ratio for 2015. Uganda UG: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 48.974 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.082 Ratio in 1992 and a record low of 42.144 Ratio in 2016. Uganda UG: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People 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. 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.; ; (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;

Uganda UG: Net Migration data was reported at -150,000.000 Person in 2012. This records a decrease from the previous number of -135,000.000 Person for 2007. Uganda UG: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging -45,737.000 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2012, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 233,366.000 Person in 1987 and a record low of -240,530.000 Person in 1972. Uganda UG: Net Migration 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Uganda UG: Urban Population data was reported at 9,942,492.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9,386,237.000 Person for 2016. Uganda UG: Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1,733,154.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,942,492.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 299,835.000 Person in 1960. Uganda UG: Urban 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. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Sum;

Uganda UG: Rural Population Growth data was reported at 2.518 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.565 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Rural Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 2.846 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.157 % in 1964 and a record low of 2.518 % in 2017. Uganda UG: Rural 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. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Uganda UG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 4.326 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.356 % for 2016. Uganda UG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 5.223 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.552 % in 1998 and a record low of 4.326 % in 2017. Uganda UG: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old 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. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;