Uganda's population now at 34.5 million

According to the latest state of the world population report by the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), Uganda’s annual population growth rate has fallen from 3.3% in 2010 to 3.1% in 2011.

 

Regionally, Uganda’s population growth rate is the same as that of Tanzania. However, it is above that of Burundi at 1.95, Kenya at 2.75 and Rwanda at 2.9%. 

 

The report also points out that the fertility rate of Ugandan women has fallen from about 6.7 in 2005 to 5.9 children per woman. 

 

This is the first time in four decades that Uganda’s fertility has gone down to six children per woman. Also, the life expectancy of Ugandan men and women has gone up to 54 and 55 years respectively. This is up from 53.4 and 54.8 years in 2010. However, the country urban-based population has remained at 13%.

 

At 3.1% annually, Uganda’s average population growth rate is above the sub-Sahara African regional average of 2.4%. 

Also, Uganda’s fertility rate of 5.9 children per woman is above the sub-Saharan average of 4.8 children per woman. The state of the world population, which examined the world at 7 billion people, was launched recently.

 

The launch was done concurrently with the State of Uganda Population report by the Population Secretariat, which focused on population and reproductive health issues.

 

However, the two reports provided conflicting statistics on demographic and social-economic indicators for Uganda. 

The Population Secretariat relied on data from the World Bank and the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2006. 

 

The UNFPA said its estimates differ from government figures and its estimates are based on reported figures from the various UN organs.

 

For instance, while the State of Uganda Population report says the country’s population has grown from 16 million in 1991, to 33 million people in 2011, the UNFPA said the population of Uganda stands at 34.5 million.

 

The state of Uganda’s population national report by the population secretariat revealed that as the world clocks 7 billion inhabitants, in Uganda a total of 1.2 million babies will be born in 2011.

 

During the report launch at Imperial Royale Hotel, state minister for planning Matia Kasaija said Uganda needs to invest in reproductive health to ensure a quality population. 

 

Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka, who represented Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, said population is a big resource. 

“That is why we are now closely monitoring the country’s population trends, not only in numbers but also in terms of what implications such numbers mean to provision of services,” she said.