Rwanda’s population jumps to over 13.2M
Rwanda's population grew by 2.7 million in the last 10 years from 10.5 million in 2012 to over 13.2million in 2022, according to figures from last year's population and housing census presented Monday at a national forum in the capital Kigali.
Women make up 51.5 percent higher than men at 48.5 percent, with an average household size of four children, the figures showed.
Eastern Rwanda accounts for the highest population of 3.5 million, followed by southern Rwanda with 3 million while Kigali has 1.7 million residents.
“Rwandans are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy increased to 69.6 years in 2022 from 64.5 ten years ago, attributed to better health sector, nutrition and increased access to social amenities such shelter and water,” Yusuf Murangwa, the director general of Rwanda’s National Institute of Statistics said while presenting the figures at a two-day national forum known as National Dialogue Council.
“These results reflect the country’s progress and the efforts put in health to reduce infant mortality rate. It puts Rwanda among countries with the highest life expectancy in Africa,” Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Uzziel Ndagijimana said.
The population of youth meanwhile dropped from 70.3 percent in 2012 to 65.3 percent in 2022, according to the figures.
It also showed that 69 percent of Rwandan households are engaged in agriculture activities with only 27.9 percent of the population living in urban areas.
Presided over by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the forum attended by more than 1500 peoplewill be used to reflect on post-pandemic recovery, the progress towards the country’s agenda 2050 and the execution status of the National Strategy for Transformation, a seven-year government program launched in 2017.
Participants include ministers, parliamentarians, representatives of the Rwandan community abroad, local government leaders, ordinary citizens and members of the diplomatic community among others.
