Africa · Eastern Africa
Ethiopia Demographics
Ethiopia has a large and fast-growing population, a young age profile, fertility above the replacement-level benchmark, and a settlement pattern that remains mostly rural.
Headline indicators use World Bank WDI, UNFPA calculations based on UN World Population Prospects 2024, UNdata WPP 2024, and Worldometer tables derived from UN WPP 2024 where extended rows are needed.
Last updated: June 30, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population, mid-year estimate | 135,472,051 | 2025 | World Bank WDI, UN WPP population series |
| Total population, latest WDI country page value | 132,059,767 | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Annual population growth | 2.6% | 2025 | World Bank WDI |
| Net migration | +24,054 | 2025 | World Bank WDI |
| Median age | 19.1 years | 2025 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| Total fertility rate | 3.9 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Replacement-level fertility benchmark | 2.1 births per woman | 2024 | Standard demographic benchmark used for comparison |
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 67.6 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Life expectancy at birth, male | 64.4 years | 2024 | Destatis country profile, citing World Bank WDI |
| Life expectancy at birth, female | 71.0 years | 2024 | Destatis country profile, citing World Bank WDI |
| Female-male life expectancy gap | 6.6 years | 2024 | Calculated from WDI male and female values shown by Destatis |
| Population density | 114 people per sq. km of land area | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Urban population share | 23.66% | 2024 | World Bank WDI, based on UN World Urbanization Prospects and national definitions |
| Urban population count | 31,246,661 | 2024 | World Bank WDI urban population series |
| Population aged 0-14 | 39% | 2025 | UNFPA calculation based on UN WPP 2024 |
| Population aged 15-64 | 58% | 2025 | UNFPA calculation based on UN WPP 2024 |
| Population aged 65 and older | 3% | 2025 | UNFPA calculation based on UN WPP 2024 |
| Age dependency ratio | 74.0 dependents per 100 working-age people | 2023 | Our World in Data, based on UN WPP |
| Births | 4,106,000 | 2023 | Our World in Data, based on UN WPP |
| Deaths | 767,000 | 2023 | Our World in Data, based on UN WPP |
| Under-5 mortality | 44.5 deaths per 1,000 live births | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
Table analysis
- The 2025 WDI population value is 135,472,051, while the latest WDI country page headline still shows the 2024 value of 132,059,767.
- The total fertility rate of 3.9 births per woman is above the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark used for broad comparison.
- The age profile is young: UNFPA reports 39% aged 0-14 and only 3% aged 65 and older in 2025.
- World Bank urban data and Worldometer urban columns use different source processing, so the WDI urban share is kept separate from the extended UN-based table.
Population Trend
Ethiopia Population Trend
UN WPP 2024-based mid-year population values at selected years
Source: Worldometer table derived from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Values are mid-year population estimates or current-year estimates depending on year.
Trend analysis
- The selected series rises from 19.4 million in 1955 to 135.5 million in 2025.
- The 2000 to 2025 increase is 68.1 million people using the same UN-based table.
- The chart uses estimates only through 2025; longer-range projections are kept in a separate projection section.
Extended Population History
| Year | Population | Yearly % change | Yearly change | Net migration | Median age | Fertility rate | Density | Urban pop % | Urban population | World share | World population | Global rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 138,902,185 | 2.53% | 3,430,134 | 27,298 | 19.3 | 3.72 | 139 | 22.9% | 31,809,855 | 1.67% | 8,300,678,395 | 10 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2025 | 135,472,051 | 2.58% | 3,412,284 | 24,054 | 19.1 | 3.81 | 135 | 22.5% | 30,487,323 | 1.65% | 8,231,613,070 | 10 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2024 | 132,059,767 | 2.62% | 3,368,075 | 30,069 | 18.9 | 3.91 | 132 | 22.1% | 29,204,015 | 1.62% | 8,161,972,572 | 10 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2023 | 128,691,692 | 2.64% | 3,307,405 | -11,996 | 18.7 | 3.99 | 129 | 21.7% | 27,959,894 | 1.59% | 8,091,734,930 | 11 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2022 | 125,384,287 | 2.68% | 3,233,308 | -11,996 | 18.5 | 4.08 | 125 | 21.3% | 26,755,042 | 1.56% | 8,021,407,192 | 11 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2020 | 118,917,671 | 2.74% | 3,010,107 | 38,866 | 18.1 | 4.27 | 119 | 20.6% | 24,463,423 | 1.51% | 7,887,001,292 | 12 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2015 | 103,867,135 | 2.78% | 2,665,724 | 62,785 | 17.0 | 4.53 | 104 | 18.7% | 19,403,087 | 1.39% | 7,470,491,872 | 13 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2010 | 90,538,514 | 2.93% | 2,434,209 | 80,213 | 15.8 | 5.28 | 91 | 16.8% | 15,189,140 | 1.29% | 7,021,732,148 | 13 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2005 | 78,367,470 | 3.06% | 2,191,195 | -44,421 | 15.1 | 6.19 | 78 | 15.4% | 12,046,373 | 1.19% | 6,586,970,132 | 16 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 2000 | 67,411,494 | 3.22% | 1,974,832 | -49,891 | 15.1 | 6.65 | 67 | 14.5% | 9,807,289 | 1.09% | 6,171,702,993 | 16 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1995 | 57,537,335 | 3.86% | 1,985,516 | 91,727 | 15.5 | 7.00 | 58 | 13.8% | 7,924,483 | 1.00% | 5,758,878,982 | 21 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1990 | 47,609,755 | 3.63% | 1,553,524 | 296,014 | 15.8 | 7.20 | 48 | 12.7% | 6,069,048 | 0.89% | 5,327,803,110 | 23 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1985 | 39,842,136 | 2.96% | 1,082,724 | 157,476 | 15.8 | 7.34 | 40 | 11.7% | 4,673,050 | 0.82% | 4,868,943,465 | 24 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1980 | 34,428,514 | 1.65% | 541,052 | -903,529 | 15.7 | 7.29 | 34 | 10.7% | 3,671,221 | 0.77% | 4,447,606,236 | 26 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1975 | 31,723,252 | 2.65% | 778,825 | -42,540 | 16.2 | 7.08 | 32 | 9.7% | 3,080,708 | 0.78% | 4,070,735,277 | 26 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1970 | 27,829,128 | 2.74% | 703,703 | 8,589 | 17.0 | 6.78 | 28 | 8.8% | 2,440,181 | 0.75% | 3,694,683,794 | 26 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1965 | 24,310,612 | 2.61% | 586,784 | 16,348 | 17.5 | 6.63 | 24 | 7.8% | 1,897,839 | 0.73% | 3,334,533,703 | 26 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1960 | 21,376,693 | 1.94% | 391,385 | 1,696 | 17.5 | 6.51 | 21 | 6.7% | 1,425,096 | 0.71% | 3,015,470,894 | 27 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
| 1955 | 19,419,770 | 1.91% | 349,872 | -10,392 | 17.3 | 6.46 | 19 | 5.6% | 1,085,996 | 0.71% | 2,740,213,792 | 26 | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based table |
Table analysis
- The table uses 5-year intervals for older periods and annual rows for recent years where the source page exposes them.
- Population density rises from 19 people per sq. km in 1955 to 135 people per sq. km in 2025 in this UN-based table.
- Fertility declines from 6.65 in 2000 to 3.81 in 2025 in the same table.
- Urban share in this extended table is not the same as the World Bank WDI 2024 urban share; urban indicators are source-sensitive.
- The 2026 row is a current-year mid-year estimate from a UN-based secondary table, not a census count.
Population Growth and Migration
Population Growth Rate
Selected years from the UN WPP-based extended table
Source: Worldometer table derived from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Older rows show equivalent annual change over the preceding period.
Trend analysis
- The selected series peaks at 3.86% in 1995.
- The 2025 growth value in the extended table is 2.58%, close to the World Bank WDI headline of 2.6%.
- Growth remains positive across all selected rows shown in the table.
Net Migration Balance
Recent net migration values from WDI and UN-based table rows
Source: World Bank WDI and Worldometer UN WPP 2024-based table. Net migration is immigrants minus emigrants; values may be averaged or model-estimated depending on dataset.
Data analysis
- The recent series includes both negative and positive net migration values.
- The lowest value shown is -11,996 in 2022 and 2023.
- The 2025 WDI value is +24,054, indicating positive net migration in that source year.
Broad Age Structure
Population by Broad Age Group
UNFPA 2025 percentages based on UN WPP 2024
Source: UNFPA World Population Dashboard 2025, based on UN World Population Prospects 2024. Percentages are rounded by source.
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 | Data not available | 39% | 2025 | UNFPA, based on UN WPP 2024 |
| 15-64 | Data not available | 58% | 2025 | UNFPA, based on UN WPP 2024 |
| 65+ | Data not available | 3% | 2025 | UNFPA, based on UN WPP 2024 |
Age-sex analysis
- The 0-14 share is 39%, which is larger than the 65+ share by 36 percentage points.
- The 15-64 group accounts for 58% of the population in the UNFPA rounded 2025 dashboard.
- This is a broad age structure module, not a population pyramid.
- Detailed five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the source set used for this page.
- A detailed population pyramid will be added when age-sex data becomes available.
Fertility and Life Expectancy
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate against the 2.1 births-per-woman benchmark
Source: World Bank WDI for Ethiopia fertility, 2024. Replacement level is a broad demographic benchmark and can vary by mortality conditions.
Chart analysis
- Ethiopia’s 2024 fertility rate is 3.9 births per woman.
- The value is 1.8 births per woman above the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
- The chart compares a country estimate with a benchmark; it is not a forecast.
Life Expectancy by Sex
Life expectancy at birth for men, total population, and women
Source: Total value from World Bank WDI 2024; male and female values from Destatis country profile citing World Bank WDI 2024.
Data analysis
- Female life expectancy is 71.0 years, compared with 64.4 years for males.
- The female-male gap is 6.6 years using the values shown in the chart.
- The total population value is 67.6 years in the 2024 WDI series.
Urban Population
Urban Population Share
Share of the population living in areas classified as urban
Source: World Bank WDI, based on UN World Urbanization Prospects and national urban definitions, 2024.
| Year | Urban share | Urban population | Definition note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23.66% | 31,246,661 | National urban definitions applied in the World Bank WDI / UN WUP series | World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects |
Data analysis
- The WDI urban series reports 23.66% urban population in 2024.
- The corresponding WDI urban population count is 31,246,661.
- Urban population is definition-sensitive; national urban criteria can differ across datasets.
Births, Deaths and Natural Change
| Year | Births | Deaths | Natural change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4,106,000 | 767,000 | 3,339,000 | Our World in Data, based on UN WPP |
Table analysis
- Reported births exceed deaths by 3.339 million in 2023 using the shown source values.
- The natural change value is calculated here as births minus deaths from the same source row.
- This table does not include registered civil vital statistics; it uses model-based UN WPP values presented by Our World in Data.
Population Projection
UN Medium-Variant Projection
Projected population under the UN WPP 2024 medium variant
Source: Worldometer UN WPP 2024-based forecast table for 2030-2050 and UNdata WPP 2024 for 2100. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not guaranteed predictions.
| Year | Projected population | Yearly % change | Yearly change | Net migration assumption | Median age | Fertility rate | Density | Urban pop % | Urban population | Scenario | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 152,855,357 | 2.44% | 3,476,661 | 32,379 | 20.2 | 3.43 | 153 | 24.5% | 37,495,720 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based forecast table |
| 2035 | 170,532,954 | 2.21% | 3,535,519 | 53,159 | 21.1 | 3.13 | 171 | 26.7% | 45,488,077 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based forecast table |
| 2040 | 188,450,902 | 2.02% | 3,583,590 | 61,367 | 22.1 | 2.90 | 188 | 28.9% | 54,394,212 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based forecast table |
| 2045 | 206,673,639 | 1.86% | 3,644,547 | 35,013 | 23.3 | 2.72 | 207 | 31.0% | 64,087,447 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based forecast table |
| 2050 | 225,021,875 | 1.72% | 3,669,647 | 19,219 | 24.6 | 2.55 | 225 | 33.1% | 74,536,815 | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based forecast table |
| 2100 | 367,289,596 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | UN WPP 2024 medium variant | UNdata, World Population Prospects 2024 |
Projection analysis
- The medium-variant table projects 225.0 million people in 2050.
- The 2030 to 2050 increase in the table is 72.2 million people.
- The projected growth rate declines from 2.44% in 2030 to 1.72% in 2050.
- The 2100 value of 367.3 million comes from UNdata WPP 2024; supporting columns are not filled because the accessible UNdata row only exposed the projected population value.
- Projection values depend on scenario assumptions for fertility, mortality and migration.
Largest Urban Areas
| Rank | Urban area | Population estimate | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addis Ababa | 6,705,705 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 2 | Adama | 584,854 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 3 | Bahir Dar | 498,735 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 4 | Dire Dawa | 483,674 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 5 | Shashamane | 452,945 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 6 | Hawassa | 444,909 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 7 | Bishoftu | 442,776 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 8 | Jijiga | 422,225 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 9 | Gonder | 392,767 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
| 10 | Dilla | 360,925 | 2025 | Worldometer urban area table |
Table analysis
- Addis Ababa is the largest urban area in the shown table, with 6,705,705 people in the 2025 estimate.
- The second-largest listed urban area, Adama, is below 600,000 in the same source table.
- Urban area estimates are not the same as municipal census counts and may include surrounding urban agglomeration areas.
Demographic Overview
The WDI/UN-based series places Ethiopia at 135.5 million in 2025, with positive annual growth near 2.6%.
UNFPA reports 39% of the population aged 0-14 in 2025 and 3% aged 65+, giving Ethiopia a young age distribution.
The 2024 fertility rate of 3.9 births per woman remains above the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
World Bank WDI reports 23.66% urban population in 2024, with the remainder classified as non-urban under national definitions.
Net migration is small relative to total population size; WDI reports +24,054 in 2025.
The UN medium variant projects 225.0 million people in 2050 and 367.3 million in 2100.
Data Sources and Methodology
Values are selected by indicator rather than copied from one single table. Headline population, growth, fertility, life expectancy, net migration, density and urban indicators use World Bank WDI when available. Age shares use UNFPA calculations based on UN WPP 2024. Extended population history and forecast columns use a Worldometer table derived from UN WPP 2024 because it exposes a denser public row structure. Projection values remain separate from historical estimates.
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank World Development Indicators | 2024-2025 values shown by indicator | Population, population growth, net migration, fertility, life expectancy, population density, urban share, urban population, under-5 mortality |
| UNFPA World Population Dashboard | 2025 dashboard, based on UN WPP 2024 | Total population rounded display and broad age group shares for 0-14, 15-64 and 65+ |
| UNdata, World Population Prospects 2024 | 2024 revision | 2100 medium-variant projection value and methodology distinction between estimates and projections |
| Worldometer, UN WPP 2024-based population table | 2026 public table using UN WPP 2024 medium-fertility variant | Extended population history table, forecast table columns for 2030-2050, median age series, rank, density and city table |
| Our World in Data population profile | 2026 profile based on UN population data | 2023 births, 2023 deaths and age dependency ratio values |
| Destatis Statistical Country Profile: Ethiopia | May 2026 profile, citing World Bank WDI | Male and female life expectancy values for 2024 |
| Ethiopian Statistical Service release pages | 2024 and 2025 projection release pages | Coverage note only; visible row-level numeric values were not reproduced because the accessible release pages did not expose table values in the page text |
Method note
- World Bank WDI is preferred for headline comparable indicators when the indicator is available there.
- UNFPA age shares are rounded source percentages, so this page does not derive exact age-group counts from them.
- Worldometer is used only where a denser public UN WPP-based row table is needed; it is not treated as the primary source for core headline cards when WDI is available.
- Projection rows are labeled by scenario and are kept separate from historical estimates.
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Ethiopia demographic values can differ by source because resident population, mid-year population estimates, model estimates, census counts and projection scenarios are not the same measure. World Bank WDI, UN WPP, UNFPA dashboard values and Worldometer’s UN-based tables may use different release years, rounding rules and urban definitions. Net migration can refer to a modeled annual or period-average balance. Fertility is measured as births per woman and is not the same as crude birth rate. Sex-specific life expectancy is separate from total life expectancy. Detailed five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the source set used here, so no population pyramid is displayed. Missing values are not estimated.
FAQ
Why do Ethiopia population values differ by source?
Sources may use different release years, mid-year dates, national projection files, UN model estimates or current-year projections. The page labels each value by source and year.
Is the 2025 population value a census count?
No. The 2025 value shown here is a mid-year estimate in the World Bank WDI / UN WPP population series, not a census enumeration.
Why is there no population pyramid?
A population pyramid needs detailed age-by-sex counts, preferably five-year age groups. Those row-level values were not available in the source set used for this page.
How should the 2050 and 2100 values be read?
They are UN WPP 2024 medium-variant projections. They are scenario-based estimates, not observed population counts.