Population in Rwanda
Senior 2 · Geography and Environment
Population in Rwanda
Lesson 1 of 4
22 min
Every ten years Rwanda counts its people in a census; the most recent were in 2002, 2012 and 2022. The 2022 census counted 13,246,394 people. The government needs more than the total. How many children will need school places? How many young adults will need jobs? How many elderly people will need care? The answers lie in the population structure, and this lesson shows you how to read it.
UN estimates for 2022 divide Rwanda's population into three broad age groups:
| Age group | Share of population (2022) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 (children) | about 38.2% | Dependants: need schools, vaccination, food |
| 15–64 (working age) | about 58.1% | The potential labour force |
| 65 and over (elderly) | about 3.7% | Dependants: need health care and support |
Rwanda therefore has a young population. The under-15 share has fallen from about 49% in 1990 to about 38% today, because families are having fewer children. In 2022 a woman had on average 3.6 children.
The 2022 census counted 6,429,326 males and 6,817,068 females. Females are about 51.5% of the population. The sex ratio compares the two:
Sex ratio = number of males ÷ number of females × 100
Reasons for a ratio below 100: women live longer on average; more men migrate for work; and many lives were lost during the war and the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which still shows in the older age groups.
The dependency ratio compares the people who mainly depend on others (under 15 and 65+) with those of working age (15–64).
Dependency ratio = (under 15 + 65 and over) ÷ (15 to 64) × 100
So every 100 people of working age support about 72 dependants, mostly children. That is a heavy load, but it is falling as the young generation grows into the workforce.
Tip
Exam technique. When describing a pyramid, use B-S-T: Base (birth rate), Sides (death rate and life expectancy), Top (elderly). Then give one implication, for example "a wide base means more primary school places are needed." Always quote a figure, and state its unit.
Solution: an official count of the whole population with details of age, sex and more; the latest was in 2022.
Solution: 1,050 ÷ 1,120 × 100 = 93.75, about 94 males per 100 females.
Solution: (40 + 3) ÷ 57 × 100 = 75.4, about 75.
Solution: a high birth rate: many young children.
Solution: schools (also child health care, vaccination, jobs for school leavers).
Summary
Sources and credits
The definitions, the worked examples and the practice items are written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
