Tanzania population pyramid 2026
72,563,780 people in 2026 (projected). Tanzania’s pyramid is an almost perfect triangle: births outnumber deaths about six to one, and the population is projected to keep growing beyond 2100.
- 2026 population
- 72.6Mrank 20 of 237
- Median age
- 17.6 yearsoldest rank 224
- Fertility rate
- 4.41births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.0% age 65+
Tanzania population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Tanzania age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 42.1% of the population, while 3.0% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 54.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Tanzania’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 82.4: about 82 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (76.9 children and 5.5 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Tanzania’s population pyramid
A triangle without notches
Tanzania’s pyramid has none of the notches and bulges that wars, famines or birth policies leave elsewhere. In 2026 every five-year band is larger than the one above it, and the three youngest bands are the largest. That smooth shape reflects decades of high and only slowly falling fertility: about seven children per woman around 1970–80 and still about 4.4 in 2026. Meanwhile life expectancy rose from about 41 years in 1950 to 67 in 2023, and infant mortality fell from about 140 to 29 per 1,000 live births, so far more of each large birth cohort survives into adulthood. The 0–4 band alone, about 11.4 million children, is larger than the whole population of 1950; the Tanzania 1950 pyramid shows the same triangle at roughly a tenth of the scale.
Momentum built into the base
In 2026 births are projected at about 2.5 million against roughly 406,000 deaths, about six births for every death. Because so many people have yet to reach childbearing age, growth continues even as fertility falls, the effect described in the population momentum guide. Under the medium scenario the population nearly doubles to about 130 million by 2050, one of the largest increases of any country, and reaches about 263 million in 2100 without having peaked. Even then, with fertility projected at about 2.3, the bands under 20 are nearly equal in size, turning the lower half of the pyramid into a column.
Migration barely registers against this natural increase. The UN series records net emigration of about 1.4 million between 2000 and 2023, a period that coincided with the repatriation of many of the refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo whom Tanzania hosted in the 1990s; more than 44 million babies were born in the same years.
Where women outnumber men
Up to the mid-thirties the two sexes are almost exactly balanced, but from the forties onward women increasingly outnumber men, with 82 men per 100 women at 60–64 and 65 at 70–74 in 2026, in line with a female life expectancy about five and a half years higher than men’s. An older pattern is harder to explain: the cohorts born in the 1950s already showed more women than men in 1975, at ages 15–24, and still did in 2000, at ages 40–49. The chart alone cannot establish whether this reflects male mortality, migration or the census data underlying the estimates. Today’s structure is closest to those of Mauritania, Benin and Cameroon, with Mozambique also similar.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Tanzania’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Tanzania is projected to record 2,459,538 births (about one birth every 13 seconds) and 405,955 deaths, a natural increase of 2,053,583. Net migration adds −25,275 people, ranking #120 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 44,456,506 births, 9,225,688 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,425,017. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −398,793 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 70.4 years42.5 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 64.8 years39.6 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 14.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 26.9per 1,000 births · 140 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 36.3per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.9 yearssex ratio at birth 103.1
Women in Tanzania are projected to live 5.6 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 140 to 26.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #47 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.9 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Tanzania
The median age of 17.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.41 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 67.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,563,780 | #20 | Largest first |
| Median age | 17.6 years | #224 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.41 | #13 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.8% | #11 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 67.6 years | #195 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.0% | #217 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Tanzania
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 11,428,006 | 15.7% | 5.8M / 5.6M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 10,269,442 | 14.2% | 5.2M / 5.1M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 8,886,955 | 12.2% | 4.5M / 4.4M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 7,762,957 | 10.7% | 3.9M / 3.9M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 6,803,227 | 9.4% | 3.4M / 3.4M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Tanzania has 35,987,661 males and 36,576,120 females. That is 98.4 males per 100 females, ranking #118 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.6% of the population and females for 50.4%. There are 588,459 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 64.5 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Tanzania has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 7,625,155 in 1950 to 72,563,780 in 2026, a change of 852%. Over the same span, median age moved from 16.0 to 17.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 45.6% to 42.1%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.2% to 3.0%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Tanzania population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Tanzania’s population is projected to grow by about 79%, reaching 129,621,102 in 2050. The median age changes from 17.6 to 21.8 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.5 percentage points to 4.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 34.8%. The Tanzania population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 262,834,721. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7,625,155 | 16.0 | 6.18 | 41.0 | 349,853 | 167,401 | +1,219 | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 9,901,419 | 16.3 | 6.54 | 42.6 | 484,870 | 209,063 | +1,946 | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 13,492,678 | 16.0 | 7.00 | 46.5 | 680,484 | 252,502 | +38,635 | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 19,189,769 | 15.4 | 6.99 | 51.3 | 927,103 | 297,652 | −42,588 | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 26,110,207 | 15.5 | 6.20 | 52.0 | 1,122,627 | 371,801 | −80,529 | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 34,260,138 | 16.4 | 5.67 | 53.2 | 1,422,747 | 437,582 | −9,701 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 44,758,488 | 16.1 | 5.23 | 61.1 | 1,734,654 | 371,186 | −122,020 | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 60,972,798 | 16.9 | 4.80 | 66.8 | 2,221,661 | 360,300 | −18,587 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 66,617,606 | 17.2 | 4.61 | 67.0 | 2,346,391 | 385,799 | −39,388 | +2.9% |
| 2024* | 68,560,157 | 17.4 | 4.54 | 67.2 | 2,385,984 | 392,220 | −29,865 | +2.9% |
| 2026* | 72,563,780 | 17.6 | 4.41 | 67.6 | 2,459,538 | 405,955 | −25,275 | +2.8% |
| 2030* | 80,913,124 | 18.1 | 4.16 | 68.4 | 2,604,947 | 435,534 | −17,338 | +2.7% |
| 2040* | 103,999,359 | 19.8 | 3.63 | 70.3 | 2,993,182 | 530,010 | −22,428 | +2.4% |
| 2050* | 129,621,102 | 21.8 | 3.23 | 71.8 | 3,339,112 | 662,073 | −21,996 | +2.0% |
| 2060* | 156,850,592 | 23.8 | 2.94 | 73.4 | 3,636,409 | 835,775 | −26,065 | +1.8% |
| 2070* | 184,885,708 | 25.9 | 2.72 | 74.8 | 3,870,751 | 1,047,028 | −24,752 | +1.5% |
| 2080* | 212,537,418 | 28.0 | 2.53 | 76.3 | 4,020,593 | 1,291,842 | −28,442 | +1.3% |
| 2090* | 238,809,591 | 30.2 | 2.39 | 77.8 | 4,130,304 | 1,572,899 | −38,878 | +1.1% |
| 2100* | 262,834,721 | 32.3 | 2.26 | 79.2 | 4,155,765 | 1,870,215 | −4,701 | +0.9% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 5,782,507 | 5,645,499 | 11,428,006 | 15.7% |
| 5–9 | 5,190,109 | 5,079,333 | 10,269,442 | 14.2% |
| 10–14 | 4,480,974 | 4,405,981 | 8,886,955 | 12.2% |
| 15–19 | 3,902,289 | 3,860,668 | 7,762,957 | 10.7% |
| 20–24 | 3,405,141 | 3,398,086 | 6,803,227 | 9.4% |
| 25–29 | 2,870,239 | 2,869,276 | 5,739,515 | 7.9% |
| 30–34 | 2,378,490 | 2,391,303 | 4,769,793 | 6.6% |
| 35–39 | 1,954,363 | 2,012,347 | 3,966,710 | 5.5% |
| 40–44 | 1,591,149 | 1,694,987 | 3,286,136 | 4.5% |
| 45–49 | 1,291,778 | 1,401,179 | 2,692,957 | 3.7% |
| 50–54 | 1,043,348 | 1,098,102 | 2,141,450 | 3.0% |
| 55–59 | 751,982 | 795,015 | 1,546,997 | 2.1% |
| 60–64 | 481,807 | 584,862 | 1,066,669 | 1.5% |
| 65–69 | 332,339 | 490,435 | 822,774 | 1.1% |
| 70–74 | 245,945 | 380,685 | 626,630 | 0.9% |
| 75–79 | 164,374 | 245,690 | 410,064 | 0.6% |
| 80–84 | 83,882 | 134,421 | 218,303 | 0.3% |
| 85–89 | 28,986 | 59,567 | 88,553 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 6,856 | 22,026 | 28,882 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 1,018 | 5,699 | 6,717 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 86 | 956 | 1,042 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Tanzania’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Mauritania98% overlap · median age 17.5
- Benin98% overlap · median age 18.2
- Cameroon98% overlap · median age 18.2
- Mozambique98% overlap · median age 16.6
- Afghanistan98% overlap · median age 17.4
- Angola98% overlap · median age 16.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Tanzania.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Tanzania Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/tanzania/
MLA
“Tanzania Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/tanzania/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Tanzania Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/tanzania/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Tanzania in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Tanzania's population in 2026 is projected at 72,563,780.
What is the median age in Tanzania?
The projected median age in Tanzania in 2026 is 17.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Tanzania?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.41 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Tanzania's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 79%, from 72.6M to 129.6M.
What share of Tanzania is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.0% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.5%.
How many babies are born in Tanzania each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 2,459,538 births and 405,955 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 13 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 2,053,583.
What is life expectancy in Tanzania for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 70.4 years for women and 64.8 years for men, a gap of 5.6 years in favour of women.
Does Tanzania have more immigrants or emigrants?
Tanzania is projected to lose about 25,275 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,425,017.
What is the sex ratio in Tanzania?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.4 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.