Kenya’s Population Hits 49.7 Million, Says PRB

The Kenyan population currently stands at 49.7 million people according to the 2017 World Population Data Sheet from the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).

This is an increase of 4.3 million from the previous 45.4 million people reported in 2016.

The report further stated that the population is set to hit 67 million in 2030 and 95.5 million by 2050.The rapid population rise, according to the survey, is not in line with the country’s capacity to create new jobs.

Currently, Kenya has one of the highest dependency ratios in the world at 75.4 per cent – meaning that most adult Kenyans have dependents who are either minors or elderly.

The high ratio arises from the country’s unemployment rate which currently stands at 39.1 per cent, according to the 2017 HDI.

PRB’s statistics also show that Uganda’s population grew to 42.8 million, as Rwanda’s hit 12.3 million and Tanzania’s topped the region at 57.5 million in a year, up from 36.6 million, 11.9 million and 54.2 million respectively.

The population index now predicts that Africa’s population will more than double to 2.6 billion by 2050 and account for more than half (57 per cent) of the global population increase by that date.

The population of 30 countries, nearly all in Africa, will at least double by 2050

The world population will reach 9.8 billion in 2050, up 31 percent from an estimated 7.5 billion now, according to projections included in the PRB.

PRB compiled statistics to measure whether youth are well-positioned to develop into productive adults, based on health, education, and other factors. The Data Sheet includes indicators for secondary and tertiary school enrollment, adolescent fertility rates, rates of HIV/AIDS among youth, youth population figures for 2017, and youth population projections for 2050.

The world youth population (ages 15 to 24) is projected to rise to 1.4 billion in 2050 from 1.2 billion now but the youth share of world population will fall to 14 percent from 16 percent.

Africa’s youth population will rise to 35 percent of the world youth total in 2050, from 20 percent today.

Ethiopia currently has the highest share of youth population at 21.8 percent while Bulgaria has the lowest share at 9.1 percent.

The global adolescent fertility rate (ages 15 to 19) is 50 births per 1,000 women, compared to only 16 per 1,000 in more-developed countries and 54 per 1,000 in less-developed countries.