Updated
Overview
Uganda has 3.5 times the population of Rwanda: 51.38 million people against 14.57 million (2025).
Uganda's economy is 3.8 times the size of Rwanda's, at $61.99B versus $16.37B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Uganda | Rwanda | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $61.99B | $16.37B | 2025 | $53.65B / $14.25B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,206 | $1,124 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 6.3% | Higher: 9.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.6% | 5.9% | 2025 | 3.3% / 1.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 11.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 35 | 27 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $161 | $53 | 2021 / 2024 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $35 | $2 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.38 million | 14.57 million | 2025 | 50.86 million / 13.62 million |
| Population growth | 2.7% | 2.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 16.9 yrs | 19.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.06 | 3.59 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 68.5 yrs | 68.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 32% | 31% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 9% | Higher: 32% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 241,550 km² | 26,338 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 212.7/km² | 553.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 6.33 Mt | Lower: 2.03 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.1 t | 0.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.12B | $175.92M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 1.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 46,000 | 35,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Rwanda is growing much faster: 9.4% annual GDP growth versus 6.3%.
Rwanda runs the hotter price environment: 5.9% inflation versus 3.6%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Rwanda: a price level of 27 versus 35 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Uganda: $161 against $53 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Uganda is the younger society: median age 16.9 versus 19.9 years.
Internet adoption is higher in Rwanda (32% vs 9% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Uganda is 9.2 times the size of Rwanda: 241,550 km² versus 26,338 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Rwanda is far more densely settled: 553 people per km² against 213.
Military
Uganda spends 6.3 times as much on defence as Rwanda: $1.12B versus $175.92M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Uganda fields the larger armed forces: 46,000 personnel against 35,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Uganda bigger than Rwanda?
- Uganda is larger by land area. Uganda covers 241,550 km² while Rwanda covers 26,338 km², so Uganda is 9.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Uganda or Rwanda?
- Uganda has the larger population: 51.38 million versus 14.57 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Uganda richer than Rwanda?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Uganda is richer: $1,206 against $1,124. Total GDP tells the same story: $61.99B for Uganda versus $16.37B for Rwanda.
- Who spends more on their military, Uganda or Rwanda?
- Uganda spends more: $1.12B versus $175.92M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).