The newly released provisional results of the 4th Population and Housing Census of Rwanda have showed that Rwanda’s population has hit 10,537,222 people in 2012 compared to the previous 8,128,553 Census results of 2002.
This implies an increase of about 29.6 per cent and an average annual growth rate of 2.6%. The 2012 census was conducted this August 15th 2012, by the National Institute of Statistics in all 30 districts across the country.
The statistics released on November 29, indicated that at the provincial level, the Eastern Province had the highest population of about 2,600,814 people, while Kigali City with 1,135,428 people has the lowest population.
At the district level, Gasabo and Nyagatare are the districts with the highest population with 530,907 and 446,944 people respectively, whilst the districts with the least population are Nyarugenge (284,860) and Rulindo (288,452)
While the national average annual population growth is 2.6% during the inter-censual period (2002-2012), it is higher in the Eastern Province (4.3%) and Kigali City (4.0%) and lowest in the Northern Province (1.o%).
The sex composition of the population, as measured by the sex ratio, indicates that, at national level, there are 93 men per 100 women in 2012 whilst this ratio was 91 in 2002. In Kigali City however, there are more men than women; with 106 men per 100 women.
The population density has increased from 321 persons per sq.km in 2002 to 416 in 2012 at national level; the highest in East African Region and quite high compared to other countries globally.
Experts have warned the government of Rwanda to take measures on this rate of growth- which they argue is not equivalent to the available resources in the country if this increase of population continues at the same rate.
One of the major policies that the government has taken is encourage Rwandans to adapt family planning measures, land consolidation and building knowledge based economy in its development vision 2020.