The demographics of Kenya show that the country has one of the highest population growth rates in the world. The total population is estimated at 48,245,079 inhabitants as of January 2017, compared to only 6,077,000 in 1950.
The demographics of Kenya show that the country’s population growth rate stands at 2.46%. During 2016 Kenya population is estimated to be increased by 1,171,143 inhabitants and reach 48,759,235 in January 2017.
The proportion of children below the age of 15 is 42.4%, 18.8% is between 15 and 24 years of age, 32.4% is between 25 and 54 years of age, 3.6% is between 55 and 64 years of age, while 2.7% is 65 years or older.
Kenya has a diverse population, 99% of the population comprises of African groups, the Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic people and the remaining 1% consists of non-African groups, Arab, Asian and European. See Kenya people for more on the country’s ethnic groups.
Demographics of Kenya Facts and Figures
| Population | 44,037,656 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 note: estimates explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 9,357,084/female 9,299,586) 15-24 years: 18.8% (male 4,148,153/female 4,147,896) 25-54 years: 32.4% (male 7,210,891/female 7,070,217) 55-64 years: 3.6% (male 719,374/female 876,458) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 529,873/female 678,124) (2013 est.) |
| Median age | total: 18.9 years male: 18.8 years female: 19 years (2013 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.27% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 |
| Ethnic groups | Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Arab, Asian and European) 1% |
| Languages | English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages |
| Religions | Christian 82.5% (Protestant 47.4%, Catholic 23.3%, other 11.8%), Muslim 11.1%, Traditionalists 1.6%, other 1.7%, none 2.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 census) |
| Birth rate | 30.08 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 |
| Death rate | 7.12 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 |
| Net migration rate | -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 |
| Urbanization | urban population: 22% of total population (2010)rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2013 est.) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 360 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 29 |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 42.18 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 51 male: 46.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 63.29 years country comparison to the world: 180 male: 61.84 years female: 64.77 years (2013 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 3.76 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 |
| Health expenditures | 4.8% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 149 |
| Physicians density | 0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2002) |
| Hospital bed density | 1.4 beds/1,000 population |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 82% of population rural: 52% of population total: 59% of population unimproved: urban: 18% of population rural: 48% of population total: 41% of population (2010 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved:urban: 32% of populationrural: 32% of populationtotal: 32% of populationunimproved: urban: 68% of populationrural: 68% of populationtotal: 68% of population (2010 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate | 6.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS | 1.5 million (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – deaths | 80,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and Rift Valley fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009) |
| Obesity – adult prevalence rate | 4.2% (2008) country comparison to the world: 171 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 16.4% (2009) country comparison to the world: 47 |
| Education expenditures | 6.7% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 25 |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 90.6% female: 84.2% (2010 est.) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2009) |
Source: CIA World Factbook.
Kenyan Population Statistics by Year
The demographics of Kenya data below shows the country’s population by year
| Year | Total population (x 1000) | Population aged 0–14 (%) | Population aged 15–64 (%) | Population aged 65+ (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6 077 | 39.8 | 56.3 | 3.9 |
| 1955 | 6 980 | 42.8 | 53.4 | 3.8 |
| 1960 | 8 105 | 46.4 | 49.9 | 3.7 |
| 1965 | 9 505 | 48.4 | 48.0 | 3.6 |
| 1970 | 11 252 | 49.1 | 47.5 | 3.4 |
| 1975 | 13 486 | 49.6 | 47.1 | 3.3 |
| 1980 | 16 268 | 50.0 | 47.1 | 3.0 |
| 1985 | 19 655 | 50.0 | 47.2 | 2.8 |
| 1990 | 23 447 | 49.0 | 48.3 | 2.7 |
| 1995 | 27 426 | 46.5 | 50.8 | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 31 254 | 44.3 | 52.9 | 2.8 |
| 2005 | 35 615 | 42.7 | 54.5 | 2.8 |
| 2010 | 40 513 | 42.5 | 54.9 | 2.7 |
Population by province
According to the 2009 census, the country’s population by province was as follows: Nairobi (the capital of Kenya) 3,138,369, Central 4,383,743, Coast 3,325,307, Eastern 5,668,123, North Eastern 2,310,757, Nyanza 5,442,711, Rift Valley 10,006,805, Western 4,334,282
Population by census
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 8,636,300 |
| 1969 | 10,942,705 |
| 1979 | 15,327,061 |
| 1989 | 21,448,774 |
| 1999 | 28,686,607 |
| 2009 | 38,610,097 |
Source: 2009 census. http://www.knbs.or.ke/Census%20Results/KNBS%20Brochure.pdf
UN population projections
| Year | Medium variant projections (x 1000) |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 46,332 |
| 2020 | 52,563 |
| 2025 | 59,054 |
| 2030 | 65,928 |
| 2035 | 73,257 |
| 2040 | 80,975 |
| 2045 | 88,907 |
| 2050 | 96,887 |
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