Demographics of Uganda

Demographic features of the population of Uganda include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and others.

Population

According to the total population was in , compared to only 5,158,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2015 was 48.1 percent, 49.4 percent was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.5 percent was 65 years or older.Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision

Total population(1000)Population percentage aged 0–14 aged 15–64 aged 65+ 19505,158 19555,899 19606,788 19658,014 19709,446 197510,827 198012,548 198514,631 199017,384 199520,413 200023,758 200528,042 201033,149 2014 Census Results34,856

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 27.VIII.2014): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 16 897 849 17 736 801 34 634 650 100 0–4 3 173 950 2 957 078 6 131 028 17.70 5–9 2 834 456 2 717 222 5 551 678 16.03 10–14 2 462 789 2 457 654 4 920 443 14.21 15–19 1 917 797 2 038 836 3 956 633 11.42 20–24 1 444 438 1 744 173 3 188 611 9.21 25–29 1 143 467 1 342 709 2 486 176 7.18 30–34 908 447 1 043 292 1 951 739 5.64 35–39 726 355 809 482 1 535 837 4.43 40–44 617 034 655 383 1 272 417 3.67 45–49 452 081 469 043 921 124 2.66 50–54 371 126 436 977 808 103 2.33 55–59 224 765 255 519 480 284 1.39 60–64 195 283 244 770 440 053 1.27 65–69 136 107 165 043 301 150 0.87 70–74 115 862 161 374 277 236 0.80 75–79 69 095 81 378 150 473 0.43 80–84 51 871 79 398 131 269 0.38 85–89 21 572 30 204 51 776 0.15 90–94 15 125 22 046 37 171 0.11 95+ 16 229 25 220 41 449 0.12Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 8 471 195 8 131 954 16 603 149 47.94 15–64 8 000 793 9 040 184 17 040 977 49.20 65+ 425 861 564 663 990 524 2.86

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Based on the results of the 2014 Population Census.): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 20 428 000 21 156 000 41 584 000 100 0–4 3 610 000 3 519 000 7 129 000 17.14 5–9 3 150 000 2 964 000 6 114 000 14.70 10–14 2 842 000 2 705 000 5 547 000 13.34 15–19 2 503 000 2 478 000 4 981 000 11.98 20–24 1 978 000 2 074 000 4 052 000 9.74 25–29 1 480 000 1 764 000 3 244 000 7.80 30–34 1 155 000 1 378 000 2 533 000 6.09 35–39 913 000 1 059 000 1 972 000 4.74 40–44 718 000 814 000 1 533 000 3.69 45–49 605 000 656 000 1 261 000 3.03 50–54 446 000 468 000 914 000 2.20 55–59 357 000 421 000 778 000 1.87 60–64 221 000 259 000 480 000 1.15 65–69 170 000 217 000 387 000 0.93 70–74 115 000 144 000 259 000 0.62 75–79 83 000 119 000 202 000 0.49 80+ 81 000 116 000 197 000 0.47Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 9 602 000 9 188 000 18 790 000 45.19 15–64 10 377 000 11 372 000 21 749 000 52.30 65+ 449 000 596 000 1 045 000 2.51

United Nations population projections Numbers are in thousands. UN medium var 2050 101,873

Refugee population By October 2025, Uganda hosted roughly 1.95 million refugees, more than any other country in Africa. Most are rural groups mainly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as from Somalia, Burundi, and Rwanda. From 2023, more than 90,000 refugees fleeing the civil war in Sudan have entered.

Vital statistics Registration of births and deaths in Uganda is not yet complete. The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs prepared the following estimates.

YearLive births per yearDeaths per yearNatural change per yearCBR*CDR*NC*TFR*IMR*1950302,000  144,000157,00052.425.127.46.65148.51951  308,000  147,000  161,00052.124.927.26.66147.21952  315,000  148,000  167,00051.924.427.56.68144.51953  322,000  149,000  173,00051.623.827.76.71141.91954  329,000  150,000  179,00051.223.327.96.73139.71955  335,000  150,000  185,00050.722.728.06.76137.41956  342,000  150,000  192,00050.322.128.26.79135.21957  349,000  149,000  199,00049.921.428.56.83132.91958  356,000  148,000  207,00049.520.628.96.87130.71959  364,000  148,000  217,00049.220.029.26.92128.71960  371,000  147,000  224,00048.719.329.46.94127.01961  379,000  147,000  233,00048.418.729.76.97125.31962  389,000  147,000  242,00048.218.130.07.00123.71963  399,000  148,000  252,00048.017.830.37.02121.91964  411,000  149,000  262,00048.017.430.67.05120.31965  425,000  152,000  273,00048.117.231.07.09118.71966  440,000  156,000  285,00048.417.131.37.12117.41967  457,000  157,000  299,00048.616.731.97.15115.51968  474,000  161,000  313,00048.916.632.37.19114.11969  489,000  164,000  325,00048.816.432.47.16112.91970  506,000  169,000  337,00049.016.432.67.19112.21971  522,000  192,000  330,00049.118.131.07.20116.21972  535,000  198,000  338,00049.018.130.97.22116.41973  546,000  202,000  343,00048.818.130.77.22114.71974  558,000  211,000  347,00048.718.430.37.22118.81975  575,000  218,000  356,00048.918.630.37.23118.01976  590,000  228,000  362,00048.918.930.07.23120.21977  604,000  238,000  366,00048.819.229.67.21122.41978  620,000  248,000  372,00048.719.529.27.18126.31979  638,000  257,000  381,00048.819.729.27.16127.41980  651,000  282,000  369,00048.821.127.77.13133.91981  665,000  286,000  379,00048.821.027.97.12132.91982  678,000  287,000  390,00048.720.628.17.09125.81983  696,000  290,000  407,00048.820.328.57.04122.81984  720,000  294,000  426,00049.220.129.17.00120.01985  752,000  284,000  468,00049.918.931.07.04115.01986  784,000  293,000  490,00050.618.931.67.08113.51987  817,000  291,000  526,00051.118.232.97.12112.11988  845,000  299,000  546,00051.218.133.17.11111.01989  874,000  310,000  565,00051.318.233.17.07109.71990  904,000  319,000  586,00051.418.133.37.04108.01991  930,000  327,000  603,00051.218.033.26.98105.81992  964,000  335,000  629,00051.317.833.56.96103.71993  995,000  345,000  650,00051.217.733.46.93101.81994  1,025,000  353,000  672,00050.917.533.46.93100.31995  1,058,000  360,000  698,00050.917.333.66.9299.21996  1,068,000  363,000  704,00050.217.133.16.8998.31997  1,096,000  367,000  729,00049.916.733.26.9197.01998  1,112,000  370,000  742,00049.316.432.96.8995.21999  1,144,000  369,000  775,00049.115.833.26.8892.72000  1,169,000  368,000  801,00048.615.333.36.8389.62001  1,197,000  364,000  833,00048.314.733.66.8186.02002  1,221,000  360,000  861,00047.814.133.76.7882.22003  1,244,000  355,000  889,00047.113.433.76.7078.02004  1,271,000  342,000  928,00046.712.634.16.6573.42005  1,289,000  326,000  963,00046.011.634.46.5769.02006  1,309,000  311,000  998,00045.410.834.66.4864.92007  1,328,000  302,000  1,026,00044.710.234.56.3861.22008  1,344,000  296,000  1,048,00043.99.734.26.2557.82009  1,372,000  291,000  1,081,00043.59.234.36.1754.82010  1,397,000  286,000  1,110,00043.18.834.26.0751.82011  1,417,000  278,000  1,139,00042.48.334.15.9449.02012  1,435,000  270,000  1,165,00041.77.833.95.7846.12013  1,448,000  260,000  1,188,00040.97.433.65.6243.52014  1,461,000  254,000  1,207,00040.27.033.25.4641.32015  1,479,000  249,000  1,230,00039.46.632.85.3139.42016  1,498,000  246,000  1,251,00038.76.432.35.1737.42017  1,537,000  247,000  1,290,00038.36.232.25.0535.82018  1,580,000  246,000  1,333,00038.15.932.14.9334.32019  1,600,000  233,000  1,367,00037.25.431.84.7433.42020  1,636,000  239,000  1,397,00036.85.531.44.6232.12021  1,668,000  245,000  1,423,00036.35.331.04.5131.02022  1,694,000  238,000  1,456,00035.85.030.84.3930.320231,713,000  236,0001,477,00035.24.830.44.2828.8 * CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Demographic and Health Surveys Total Fertility Rate (TFR)(Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):

Year Total Urban Rural CBR TFR CBR TFR CBR TFR 1982–1984 7.4 6.1 7.6 1985–1988 7.4 5.7 7.6 1995 47.8 6.86 (5.6) 47.7 4.97 (3.8) 47.8 7.17 (5.9) 2000–2001 47.3 6.9 (5.3) 41.3 4.0 (3.2) 48.0 7.4 (5.7) 2006 44.8 6.7 41.0 4.4 45.3 7.1 2011 42.1 6.2 (5.1) 40.3 3.8 (3.6) 42.4 6.8 (5.5) 2014 census 5.8 2016 38.7 5.4 (4.3) 37.0 4.0 (3.4) 39.3 5.9 (4.6) 2018–19 5.0 2024 census 4.5

Fertility data as of 2011 and 2016 (DHS Program):

Region Total fertility rate (Wanted fertility rate) 2011 Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant 2011 Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49 2011 Kampala 3.3 (2.9) 8.3 5.0 Central 1 5.6 (4.2) 9.9 7.2 Central 2 6.3 (4.6) 9.6 7.1 East Central 6.9 (4.4) 13.7 7.9 Eastern 7.5 (5.3) 12.5 7.5 Karamoja 6.4 (5.8) 18.7 7.5 North 6.3 (4.3) 12.4 7.3 West Nile 6.8 (5.1) 10.4 7.4 Western 6.4 (4.7) 13.2 7.4 Southwest 6.2 (4.4) 11.3 7.2

Region Total fertility rate (Wanted fertility rate) 2016 Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant 2016 Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49 2016Kampala 3.5 (3.1) 6.6 4.7Karamoja 7.9 (7.4) 15.1 7.8West Nile 6.0 (5.0) 8.9 6.7 South Central 4.7 (3.9) 8.5 6.4 North Central 5.4 (4.3) 10.3 6.9Busoga 6.1 (4.5) 12.4 7.5Bukedi 6.1 (4.3) 13.7 7.4Bugisu 5.6 (4.3) 9.3 6.8Teso 6.0 (4.8) 10.4 7.8Lango 5.1 (3.9) 10.4 7.1Acholi 5.5 (3.8) 9.6 7.1Bunyoro 6.0 (4.4) 8.5 6.8Tooro 5.4 (4.4) 10.6 7.0Kigezi 4.6 (3.8) 9.7 6.1Ankole 4.9 (4.2) 8.8 6.4

Life expectancy at birth

PeriodLife expectancy inYears1950–195540.001955–1960 42.601960–1965 45.391965–1970 48.121970–1975 49.141975–1980 49.331980–1985 49.051985–1990 46.861990–1995 44.571995–2000 44.982000–2005 49.922005–2010 55.152010–2015 58.612020 62.852021 62.71

Ethnic groups Baganda 16.5% Banyankole 9.8% Basoga 8.8% Bakiga 7.1% Iteso 7% Langi 6.3% Bagisu 4.9% Acholi 4.4% Lugbara 3.3% Other 32.1% Multi-racial (unknown percentage)

South Asians and Arabs

During the Uganda Protectorate period, the British colonialists used South Asian immigrants as intermediaries. Following independence they constituted the largest non-indigenous ethnic group in Uganda, at around 80,000 people, and they dominated trade, industry, and the professions. This caused resentment among the native African majority, which was exploited by post-Independence leaders.

After Idi Amin came to power in 1971, he declared "economic war" on the Indians, culminating in the Expulsion of Asians in Uganda in 1972. Since Amin's overthrow in 1979 some Asians have returned. There are between 15,000 and 25,000 in Uganda today, nearly all in the capital Kampala.

Languages

English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Swahili (recently made second official language, important regionally but spoken by very few people in Uganda), Luganda (most widely used of the Niger–Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Bantu languages, Nilo-Saharan languages and Arabic.

Religion

Protestant 45.1% Anglican 32.0% Pentecostal/Born Again/Evangelical 11.1% Seventh Day Adventist 1.7% Baptist .3% Roman Catholic 39.3% Muslim 13.7% other 1.6% none 0.2% (2014 est.)

Uganda is a religiously diverse nation with Christianity being the most widely professed religion. According to the 2014 census, over 84 percent of the population was Christian while about 14 percent of the population adhered to Islam, making it the largest minority religion.Census 2014 Final Results In 2009, the northern and west Nile regions were dominated by Roman Catholics, and Iganga District in the east of Uganda had the highest percentage of Muslims, about 53% population.

See also Youth in Uganda

References