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Fertility & birth rates in Rwanda and Uganda

Updated on by Georank team

Rwanda has an annual birth rate of 28.3 births per 1,000 people, compared to 35.2 for Uganda. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.7 in Rwanda and 4.28 in Uganda — 15.8% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -55.4% in Rwanda and by -38% in Uganda — in 1960, it was 8.28 and 6.91, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Rwanda is ranked 38/196 by birth rate compared to 12/196 for Uganda.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 23 years in Rwanda, compared to 19.4 years in Uganda.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 30.6 in Rwanda — it's 28.2 in Uganda.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 30.8 in Rwanda vs 107 in Uganda.
  • In Rwanda, 26.2% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 24.6% in Uganda.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.24% in Rwanda and +3.04% in Uganda.

Birth rate data compared

Rwanda Uganda
Fertility rate 3.7 4.28
Birth rate 28.3 35.2
Birth rate rank 38/196 12/196
Age at first childbirth 23 years 19.4 years
Average age at childbearing 30.6 years 28.2 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 30.2 102.9
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 155.6 197.1
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 66.4 67.5
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 26.2% 24.6%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 58.4% 38%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 94.2% 74.2%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.23% 0.17%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 1.81% 1.79%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.05% 2.76%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4% 3.88%
Population change due to births and deaths +312,762 +1,477,166
Natural population change rank 51/196 10/196
Natural population change rate +2.24% +3.04%
Population growth +2.16% +2.79%
Population growth rank 47/197 23/197
Life expectancy 68.2 years 68.7 years

Fertility rate in Rwanda vs Uganda chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Rwanda was 3.7 children per woman in 2023, compared to 4.28 in Uganda in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Rwanda vs Uganda population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast
Uganda
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Rwanda Uganda
1960 8.28 6.91
1961 8.28 6.93
1962 8.27 6.96
1963 8.27 6.98
1964 8.27 7.01
1965 8.25 7.04
1966 8.23 7.07
1967 8.21 7.1
1968 8.19 7.13
1969 8.18 7.12
1970 8.15 7.15
1971 8.09 7.18
1972 8.09 7.19
1973 8.09 7.19
1974 8.1 7.19
1975 8.1 7.2
1976 8.12 7.19
1977 8.14 7.18
1978 8.16 7.16
1979 8.13 7.14
1980 8.12 7.11
1981 8.1 7.12
1982 8.06 7.11
1983 8 7.07
1984 7.91 7.02
1985 7.79 7.04
1986 7.61 7.08
1987 7.43 7.12
1988 7.23 7.1
1989 7.03 7.05
1990 6.8 7.01
1991 6.62 6.94
1992 6.54 6.91
1993 6.48 6.89
1994 6.42 6.9
1995 6.35 6.87
1996 6.29 6.84
1997 6.24 6.86
1998 6.17 6.84
1999 6.06 6.83
2000 5.97 6.79
2001 5.89 6.76
2002 5.82 6.74
2003 5.74 6.67
2004 5.64 6.61
2005 5.5 6.53
2006 5.34 6.43
2007 5.14 6.33
2008 4.92 6.2
2009 4.71 6.12
2010 4.52 6.02
2011 4.33 5.89
2012 4.2 5.73
2013 4.14 5.56
2014 4.12 5.41
2015 4.11 5.25
2016 4.11 5.11
2017 4.08 4.99
2018 4.05 4.87
2019 3.99 4.74
2020 3.91 4.62
2021 3.84 4.51
2022 3.78 4.39
2023 3.7 4.28
2024 3.64 4.16
2025 3.59 4.06
2026 3.54 3.97
2027 3.49 3.87
2028 3.43 3.79
2029 3.38 3.69
2030 3.33 3.61
2031 3.28 3.53
2032 3.24 3.45
2033 3.19 3.38
2034 3.15 3.31
2035 3.11 3.25
2036 3.07 3.19
2037 3.03 3.14
2038 2.99 3.09
2039 2.95 3.04
2040 2.92 2.99
2041 2.89 2.94
2042 2.85 2.9
2043 2.81 2.86
2044 2.78 2.82
2045 2.75 2.78
2046 2.72 2.74
2047 2.69 2.71
2048 2.67 2.67
2049 2.64 2.64
2050 2.61 2.61

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Rwanda
Factual

UN forecast
Uganda
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Rwanda Uganda
1960 49.2% 46.3%
1961 49.7% 46.6%
1962 50.2% 46.8%
1963 50.6% 46.9%
1964 50.8% 46.8%
1965 50.6% 46.7%
1966 50.2% 46.6%
1967 49.7% 46.6%
1968 49.2% 46.5%
1969 48.7% 46.5%
1970 48.2% 46.5%
1971 47.9% 46.7%
1972 47.5% 46.9%
1973 47.2% 47.1%
1974 46.9% 47.3%
1975 46.6% 47.4%
1976 46.4% 47.5%
1977 46.4% 47.5%
1978 46.4% 47.6%
1979 46.5% 47.7%
1980 46.8% 47.9%
1981 47.1% 48%
1982 47.4% 48%
1983 47.7% 48.1%
1984 48.1% 48%
1985 48.3% 48%
1986 48.6% 48%
1987 48.8% 48%
1988 48.9% 48.1%
1989 48.9% 48.1%
1990 49% 48.2%
1991 48.9% 48.3%
1992 48.7% 48.4%
1993 48.4% 48.5%
1994 50.1% 48.6%
1995 52.4% 49.1%
1996 51.4% 49.4%
1997 50.5% 49.7%
1998 49.2% 49.9%
1999 47.8% 50%
2000 46.4% 50.1%
2001 45.2% 50.1%
2002 44.3% 50.1%
2003 43.7% 50.1%
2004 43.3% 50.1%
2005 43.1% 50.1%
2006 42.9% 50%
2007 42.9% 50%
2008 42.8% 49.8%
2009 42.6% 49.7%
2010 42.4% 49.5%
2011 42.2% 49.3%
2012 41.9% 49.1%
2013 41.7% 48.8%
2014 41.4% 48.5%
2015 41.1% 48.1%
2016 40.9% 47.5%
2017 40.5% 46.9%
2018 40.1% 46.3%
2019 39.7% 45.8%
2020 39.2% 45.2%
2021 38.6% 44.7%
2022 38.2% 44.3%
2023 37.7% 43.9%
2024 37.4% 43.5%
2025 37% 43.1%
2026 36.7% 42.7%
2027 36.4% 42.2%
2028 36% 41.8%
2029 35.7% 41.3%
2030 35.4% 40.9%
2031 35% 40.5%
2032 34.7% 40%
2033 34.4% 39.5%
2034 34.1% 39%
2035 33.7% 38.4%
2036 33.4% 37.8%
2037 33.1% 37.3%
2038 32.9% 36.7%
2039 32.6% 36.1%
2040 32.3% 35.6%
2041 32% 35.1%
2042 31.7% 34.6%
2043 31.4% 34.1%
2044 31.1% 33.6%
2045 30.8% 33.1%
2046 30.5% 32.7%
2047 30.2% 32.3%
2048 29.9% 31.8%
2049 29.7% 31.5%
2050 29.4% 31.1%

Children aged 0-14 make up 37.4% of the population in Rwanda and 43.5% in Uganda in 2024, compared to 49% and 48.2% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Rwanda and Uganda compared.

Natural population change in Rwanda vs Uganda by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.45% in Rwanda and +3.17% in Uganda. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Rwanda
Uganda

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Rwanda Uganda
1960 100,627 225,080
1961 102,051 232,894
1962 102,548 241,513
1963 94,296 250,885
1964 102,562 260,733
1965 103,422 271,830
1966 105,128 282,225
1967 108,053 296,692
1968 111,422 309,725
1969 115,394 320,486
1970 119,273 333,202
1971 122,567 328,294
1972 126,403 335,935
1973 131,021 340,780
1974 135,743 345,773
1975 140,596 354,278
1976 147,665 359,458
1977 155,011 365,216
1978 163,779 371,930
1979 174,477 381,626
1980 184,988 370,287
1981 195,769 380,028
1982 205,147 390,820
1983 212,750 404,940
1984 219,337 421,241
1985 223,794 462,534
1986 225,526 487,693
1987 225,744 527,397
1988 223,759 547,759
1989 217,632 565,367
1990 207,895 587,291
1991 196,431 602,740
1992 188,025 627,139
1993 183,926 650,032
1994 -719,479 675,092
1995 121,137 697,218
1996 140,455 699,707
1997 174,687 727,523
1998 197,185 741,175
1999 210,518 775,166
2000 221,276 803,069
2001 230,845 836,751
2002 239,036 868,756
2003 251,243 901,374
2004 265,273 938,623
2005 275,121 969,096
2006 282,149 999,958
2007 285,791 1,029,893
2008 287,334 1,055,935
2009 287,034 1,090,600
2010 286,848 1,121,564
2011 282,922 1,147,263
2012 282,584 1,167,473
2013 286,331 1,184,250
2014 292,779 1,201,599
2015 299,114 1,224,839
2016 305,549 1,249,565
2017 310,323 1,290,658
2018 312,512 1,332,600
2019 313,525 1,367,044
2020 312,692 1,397,288
2021 309,895 1,423,377
2022 312,145 1,455,576
2023 312,762 1,477,166

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Rwanda vs Uganda

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 229 deaths per 100,000 live births in Rwanda, compared to 170 deaths in Uganda.

Rwanda
Uganda
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Rwanda Uganda
1985 1,116 842
1986 1,126 781
1987 1,145 709
1988 1,188 655
1989 1,238 609
1990 1,309 575
1991 1,386 549
1992 1,530 530
1993 1,619 515
1994 5,721 507
1995 1,505 514
1996 1,295 513
1997 1,318 522
1998 1,268 523
1999 1,073 504
2000 885 475
2001 769 440
2002 677 416
2003 551 395
2004 460 384
2005 465 417
2006 494 409
2007 494 345
2008 454 324
2009 418 322
2010 393 304
2011 358 295
2012 331 285
2013 317 308
2014 301 311
2015 292 299
2016 278 272
2017 275 246
2018 269 232
2019 261 219
2020 252 209
2021 254 216
2022 234 184
2023 229 170

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4% in Rwanda and 3.88% in Uganda. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Rwanda
Uganda

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Rwanda Uganda
1960 22.4% 22.3%
1961 21.9% 21.9%
1962 21.5% 21.6%
1963 21.3% 21.3%
1964 21.1% 20.9%
1965 21.1% 20.6%
1966 21.2% 20.3%
1967 21.4% 19.9%
1968 21.7% 19.7%
1969 22% 19.4%
1970 22.3% 19.3%
1971 22.6% 19.3%
1972 23% 19.4%
1973 23.4% 19.6%
1974 24% 19.9%
1975 24.6% 20.3%
1976 25.1% 20.7%
1977 25.1% 21.2%
1978 24.6% 21.6%
1979 23.4% 21.8%
1980 21.8% 22%
1981 20.1% 21.9%
1982 18.6% 21.4%
1983 17.4% 20.9%
1984 16.6% 20.3%
1985 16.1% 19.9%
1986 15.6% 19.5%
1987 15.2% 19.2%
1988 14.8% 18.9%
1989 14.8% 18.7%
1990 15.1% 18.3%
1991 16% 17.9%
1992 17.5% 17.4%
1993 19.3% 17%
1994 38.9% 16.7%
1995 21.8% 16.5%
1996 22.2% 16.2%
1997 22.2% 16%
1998 21.5% 15.6%
1999 20.2% 15.2%
2000 18.5% 14.6%
2001 16.7% 13.9%
2002 14.9% 13.1%
2003 13.3% 12.3%
2004 11.8% 11.5%
2005 10.5% 10.7%
2006 9.37% 9.97%
2007 8.45% 9.3%
2008 7.62% 8.69%
2009 6.92% 8.14%
2010 6.33% 7.61%
2011 5.81% 7.1%
2012 5.45% 6.67%
2013 5.17% 6.24%
2014 4.96% 5.91%
2015 4.78% 5.58%
2016 4.63% 5.25%
2017 4.52% 4.98%
2018 4.43% 4.74%
2019 4.34% 4.53%
2020 4.25% 4.35%
2021 4.16% 4.18%
2022 4.08% 4.05%
2023 4% 3.88%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Rwanda vs Uganda
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