Uganda population pyramid 2026
52,761,470 people in 2026 (projected). Uganda’s pyramid has an exceptionally broad base: in 2000 half of all Ugandans were under 15, and births still outnumber deaths about seven to one.
- 2026 population
- 52.8Mrank 30 of 237
- Median age
- 17.1 yearsoldest rank 228
- Fertility rate
- 3.97births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.3% age 65+
Uganda population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
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.
Uganda age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 42.7% of the population, while 2.3% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 55.1% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Uganda’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 81.6: about 82 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (77.5 children and 4.1 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Uganda’s population pyramid
Four decades of very high fertility
Uganda’s total fertility rate stayed close to seven children per woman from 1950 until about 1990, and was still 6.8 in 2000. Over the same period infant mortality fell from about 140 to 89 per 1,000 births, so each generation of surviving children was much larger than the one before it. The result is the textbook expansive pyramid: in 2000 half of the population was under 15 and the median age was just 14.
Fertility has since fallen to about 4.3 in 2023 and 4.0 in 2026, but the pyramid has not yet narrowed at the bottom. The 0–4 band in 2026, about 8.3 million children, is still the widest, because the very large cohorts born in the 1990s and 2000s are now the parents. Births, at roughly 1.75 million a year, exceed deaths about seven to one, and the population grows by around 2.6% a year.
The imprint of the HIV years
Life expectancy rose from about 40 in 1950 to nearly 50 by 1970, then fell back to under 48 by 1990. That reversal coincided with civil conflict and with one of the earliest severe HIV epidemics in Africa. The 2000 pyramid shows a possible trace: from ages 35 to 49 women outnumber men by about 7–15% in each band, a gap larger than in the younger bands, consistent with heavier adult mortality among men. Life expectancy has since recovered strongly, reaching 68 in 2023.
Above 60 the sex ratio falls quickly, to about 70 men per 100 women at 70–74, reflecting a life-expectancy gap of almost six years in women’s favour. The older population remains tiny, though: people aged 65 and over are only about 2% of the total.
A long climb to 2100
Uganda’s age structure in 2026 most resembles those of Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. Under the UN medium scenario the population reaches about 85 million by 2050 and is still growing in 2100, at about 121 million, which places it high in the largest population increase by 2050 ranking. By 2050 the youngest bands are close to equal in size, visible in the Uganda 2050 pyramid, and by 2100 the widest bands sit at ages 35–54 rather than at the base.
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 Uganda’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. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 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, Uganda is projected to record 1,746,979 births (about one birth every 18 seconds) and 245,640 deaths, a natural increase of 1,501,339. Net migration adds −121,799 people, ranking #186 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 34,108,842 births, 6,574,539 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,827,247. 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 −3,280,839 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
- 71.8 years41.4 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 65.9 years38.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 16.1 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 26.1per 1,000 births · 140 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 35.3per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.2 yearssex ratio at birth 103.0
Women in Uganda are projected to live 5.9 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 26.1 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #50 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.2 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 Uganda
The median age of 17.1 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.97 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 68.9 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 | 52,761,470 | #30 | Largest first |
| Median age | 17.1 years | #228 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.97 | #22 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.6% | #17 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 68.9 years | #185 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.3% | #231 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Uganda
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 | 8,260,805 | 15.7% | 4.2M / 4.1M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 7,515,265 | 14.2% | 3.8M / 3.7M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 6,736,795 | 12.8% | 3.4M / 3.3M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 6,054,109 | 11.5% | 3M / 3M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 5,204,862 | 9.9% | 2.6M / 2.6M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Uganda has 26,189,430 males and 26,572,039 females. That is 98.6 males per 100 females, ranking #109 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 382,609 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 67.8 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, 103.0 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 Uganda has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 5,750,914 in 1950 to 52,761,470 in 2026, a change of 817%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.2 to 17.1 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.3% to 42.7%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.9% to 2.3%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Uganda population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Uganda’s population is projected to grow by about 62%, reaching 85,431,202 in 2050. The median age changes from 17.1 to 24.0 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.0 percentage points to 4.3%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 31.1%. The Uganda 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 120,835,192. 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 | 5,750,914 | 18.2 | 6.66 | 39.7 | 301,346 | 143,446 | 0 | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 7,640,973 | 16.0 | 6.91 | 45.6 | 371,242 | 146,163 | −7,586 | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 10,321,604 | 15.5 | 7.15 | 49.6 | 502,544 | 169,342 | −25,646 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 13,275,741 | 14.9 | 7.11 | 43.5 | 646,611 | 276,322 | −105,900 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 17,569,897 | 14.8 | 7.01 | 47.6 | 895,510 | 308,212 | −21,688 | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 24,000,150 | 14.0 | 6.79 | 49.6 | 1,157,941 | 354,864 | −52,824 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 32,390,802 | 14.2 | 6.02 | 60.0 | 1,389,208 | 267,650 | −168,322 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 44,457,152 | 15.9 | 4.62 | 66.4 | 1,636,139 | 238,847 | +43,464 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 48,656,601 | 16.5 | 4.28 | 68.3 | 1,712,750 | 235,583 | −126,181 | +2.8% |
| 2024* | 50,015,092 | 16.7 | 4.16 | 68.5 | 1,722,321 | 238,399 | −117,924 | +2.7% |
| 2026* | 52,761,470 | 17.1 | 3.97 | 68.9 | 1,746,979 | 245,640 | −121,799 | +2.6% |
| 2030* | 58,312,940 | 18.0 | 3.61 | 69.8 | 1,774,307 | 261,458 | −122,507 | +2.4% |
| 2040* | 72,020,418 | 20.7 | 2.99 | 71.7 | 1,815,034 | 320,488 | −144,907 | +1.9% |
| 2050* | 85,431,202 | 24.0 | 2.61 | 73.4 | 1,849,620 | 409,456 | −144,872 | +1.5% |
| 2060* | 97,542,311 | 27.5 | 2.35 | 75.1 | 1,799,687 | 528,488 | −170,455 | +1.1% |
| 2070* | 107,461,466 | 30.8 | 2.17 | 76.7 | 1,713,665 | 674,526 | −163,983 | +0.8% |
| 2080* | 114,812,180 | 34.1 | 2.04 | 78.2 | 1,614,993 | 846,309 | −165,727 | +0.5% |
| 2090* | 119,267,678 | 37.3 | 1.96 | 79.7 | 1,497,105 | 1,018,014 | −180,199 | +0.3% |
| 2100* | 120,835,192 | 40.2 | 1.90 | 81.1 | 1,371,123 | 1,161,875 | −188,306 | +0.0% |
* 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 | 4,176,084 | 4,084,721 | 8,260,805 | 15.7% |
| 5–9 | 3,793,590 | 3,721,675 | 7,515,265 | 14.2% |
| 10–14 | 3,388,777 | 3,348,018 | 6,736,795 | 12.8% |
| 15–19 | 3,031,641 | 3,022,468 | 6,054,109 | 11.5% |
| 20–24 | 2,593,706 | 2,611,156 | 5,204,862 | 9.9% |
| 25–29 | 2,238,889 | 2,266,051 | 4,504,940 | 8.5% |
| 30–34 | 1,857,770 | 1,893,415 | 3,751,185 | 7.1% |
| 35–39 | 1,421,678 | 1,463,051 | 2,884,729 | 5.5% |
| 40–44 | 1,026,088 | 1,065,450 | 2,091,538 | 4.0% |
| 45–49 | 772,872 | 812,869 | 1,585,741 | 3.0% |
| 50–54 | 613,207 | 658,914 | 1,272,121 | 2.4% |
| 55–59 | 469,611 | 524,624 | 994,235 | 1.9% |
| 60–64 | 321,265 | 385,863 | 707,128 | 1.3% |
| 65–69 | 211,061 | 276,132 | 487,193 | 0.9% |
| 70–74 | 135,148 | 192,204 | 327,352 | 0.6% |
| 75–79 | 79,831 | 121,171 | 201,002 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 35,560 | 62,803 | 98,363 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 15,870 | 37,172 | 53,042 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 5,461 | 17,721 | 23,182 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 1,183 | 5,487 | 6,670 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 136 | 1,074 | 1,210 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Uganda’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.
- Afghanistan99% overlap · median age 17.4
- Mozambique97% overlap · median age 16.6
- Tanzania97% overlap · median age 17.6
- Malawi97% overlap · median age 18.4
- Zambia96% overlap · median age 18.2
- Mauritania96% overlap · median age 17.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Uganda.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Uganda Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/uganda/
MLA
“Uganda Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/uganda/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Uganda Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/uganda/.
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 Uganda in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Uganda's population in 2026 is projected at 52,761,470.
What is the median age in Uganda?
The projected median age in Uganda in 2026 is 17.1 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Uganda?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.97 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Uganda's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 62%, from 52.8M to 85.4M.
What share of Uganda is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.3% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.3%.
How many babies are born in Uganda each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,746,979 births and 245,640 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 18 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 1,501,339.
What is life expectancy in Uganda for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 71.8 years for women and 65.9 years for men, a gap of 5.9 years in favour of women.
Does Uganda have more immigrants or emigrants?
Uganda is projected to lose about 121,799 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,827,247.
What is the sex ratio in Uganda?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 98.6 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.