Rwandans now 8.16 million, preliminary population census shows

The population of Rwanda has reached 8.16 million, according to the preliminary results of a nationwide census published on Monday on the Rwandan government website.

The latest figures showed the population had grown by only just over one million, or 12 percent, in the last 12 years since the previous census was undertaken in 1991, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Donald Kaberuka said in a statement. This figure was "very low" for Rwanda, and showed the serious effects of the 1994 genocide on the country, he said.

According to the census 52.3 percent of the population was found to be female, while 47.7 percent was male.
The population over the age of 16 years was 4.19 million, 53.5 percent of whom were female. This population would be in the voting age bracket of 18 and over for 2003, the minister said, alluding to Rwanda's upcoming elections planned for July 2003.

The phenomenon of rural exodus was found to affect males more than females, with almost 55 percent of the total number of people living in the capital, Kigali, found to be male. A total of 16.7 percent of the total number of Rwandans were found to be living in urban areas.

The preliminary data needed to be processed, the government said, and would result in a final census report to be issued in October 2003. Even in their provisional state, however, the government said the figures were reliable enough to be used by state organs.

Previous Rwandan censuses were undertaken in 1991 and 1978, when population figures were found to be 7.16 million and 4.83 million. This latest census had been planned for 1999, but "due to delays in raising funds for this costly operation" it was not undertaken until 15 and 16 August 2002.