Unit 9 Population.pptx

08/02/2023 12:05 carra Dusabimana Jean D Amour 1
Unit 9:
Population in
Rwanda

Introduction
• Population is the total number of people living in a given area
(country, province, continent, etc.) at a specified period of time.
• Population distribution refers to the spread of people in an area
where they live over a period of time.
• Population density: It is the population per unit of area
expressed in inhabitants per square kilometer of land area.
Population density =
𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞
𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚
Population density of an area can be:
• Low: with 1-10 inhabitant/km²,
• Moderate: with 10-50 inhabitant/km² and
• High: with more than 50 inhabitant/km².

Population density of Rwanda
Population density of Rwanda
is 525 per Km² based on UN
estimations
The physical population
density is 557 inhabitants
/km² obtained by excluding
the surface which is covered
by water of great lakes and
national parks from the total
surface of the country.

Population distribution in Rwanda.
The population of Rwanda is unevenly distributed because there are:
• High densely populated areas: Two cases of high densely populated areas are seen in Rwanda:
• Above 1000 inhabitants per km²: The most densely populated Districts are the Kigali City’s
ones
• Between 500 and 1000 inhabitants per km²: Nyabihu district of the Western Province,
Southern province, Northern province: Districts of Musanze (694), Burera (522) and Rulindo
(507)
• Moderately populated areas: Their population density is between 300 and 400 inhabitants per
km²:
• Nyamagabe (313), Gisagara (471), Nyanza (482) and Muhanga (493) districts in southern
province.
• Gakenke (480) and Gicumbi (477) in the Northern Province
• Rusizi (418), Nyamasheke (325), Karongi (334) and Ngororero (491) in the Western province
• Least populated areas: Their population density is below 300 inhabitants per km²
• Eastern Province (178 in Kayonza, 280 in Bugesera, 242 in Nyagatare, 274 in Gatsibo, 287 in
Kirehe),
• Nyaruguru (291) of Southern Province and Rutsiro (281) of Western Province

Factors of
population
distribution
in Rwanda
Rwanda Population and Housing Census, 2012
(NISR)

Physical or natural factors
• Nature of soils: There is high population density in areas of fertile soils such volcanic
region while regions with poor soils such the steep slopes of the highland know low
population densities.
• Climate: Rwanda has got an average high population density due to its good climate.
Areas receiving large amount of rainfall and cool temperature in Rwanda (west and
North West) tend to be more densely populated than the eastern areas that are
relatively dry and warm, and encourage certain pests and diseases.
• Availability of mineral resources: Mining is an economic activity which attracts people
looking for employment. Mining areas like Rutongo, Musha, Rwinkwavu, Gatumba,
Miyove, etc. tend to be densely populated than others without mining.
• Relief or altitude: Areas of extremely steep slopes of the highlands and extremely low-
lying areas (large valleys) are not attractive to settlement due to: cold weather,
flooding, swamps, a lot of diseases, poor soils, difficulty for construction of houses,
problems of communication and transport, etc. Places of gentle slopes have got a high
population density in Rwanda.
• Forests: Forest areas of Rwanda are unattractive to settlement due to: dangerous
animals, presence of pests and diseases, difficulty of communication and transport,
bad weather conditions, the policy of the government of Rwanda to conserve forests,
etc.08/02/2023 12:05 carra Dusabimana Jean D Amour 6

Human and economic factors
• Trade or commerce: The trading centers such as Ruhango, Kabuga,
Kabarondo, etc. are densely populated because they attract people
by their activities.
• Accessibility: It refers to transport and communication networks in
Rwanda. Regions that are rich in transport and communication
networks are densely populated than others
• Industries: Industrial centers have dense population because there
are many employment opportunities.
• Urbanization: The main towns of Rwanda (Kigali, Butare, Musanze,
etc.) are densely populated than rural areas because they attract
people for their economic activities.
• Influence of social centers: Areas close to hospitals, health centers,
schools, churches, etc. such as Gitwe, Kibeho, Byimana, Save… are
densely populated than other place in rural areas

Yea
r
Count
ry
Total
populati
on
Number
of
deaths
Numb
er of
births
Bir
th
rat
e
Deat
h
rate
Growt
h rate
201
1
X
150,000 1000 768
201
2
Y
20,000 800 2500
201
3
Z
95,000 1500 1500
201
4
F
84,006 250 362

Exercises
1. Country G has a total population of 5,469,085 people, in 2015.
The registered new born babies were 356,437 babies. Using
this data, determine the birth rate of country G.
2. Country X has a total population of 56,211 inhabitants. Last
year it registered 467 death cases. Calculate the death rate of
this country
3. In 2016, Country Z had 2345600 women between 15-49 years
and the number of births was 987430. Use this information to
calculate the country’s fertility rate.

Population change in Rwanda
Population change refers to increase or decrease in population over a
period of time. There are 3 main factors that influence population change:
birth, mortality and migration.
1. Birth
• Birth rate/crude birth rate: this is an average number of live births born in
an area per 1000 people in a period of one year.
BR:
𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡
𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
×1000
Ex. Suppose a given location has a total population of 21,346 inhabitants
and the new born babies are 3240. The birth rate will be calculated as
shown below.
BR:
𝟑𝟐𝟒𝟎
𝟐𝟏𝟑𝟒𝟔
×1000= 151.7. Roughly 152 new born babies.
This means that for every 1000 people, 152 are new born babies

Causes of high birth rate in Rwanda
• Early marriage: a big proportion of women is married at young ages
and may contribute to high birth rate because they start producing
children early in their live.
• Low level of education of people: many people of Rwanda have low
or no formal education and contribute to increase the number of
children due to low knowledge about contraceptive methods.
• High level of poverty: many people have tendency to many children
because they take them as source of labor and the revenue.
• Preference for large family size: large number of children is regarded
in families of Rwanda as sources of power and prestige.
• High death rate: people have tendency to produce many children
thinking that in case some die other will survive.

2. Mortality or death
Death rate
Death rate/crude death rate: This is a total number of people who die in an
area per 1000 of the total number of populations in one year.
DR:
𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡
×1000
Eg: Number of deaths is 1020 and the population in 2010 is 800 000.
BR:
𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟎
𝟖𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎
×1000= 1.275. The death rate is roughly 1⁰/₀₀
The death rate of Rwanda was estimated at 7.7⁰/₀₀ in 2012(4th 2012PHC).
Infant mortality rate
It is the number of death of children under one year old per 1000 live
babies in a given year.
IMR:
number of death of children under 1 year old
×1000

Today, the infant mortality rate of
Rwanda is 23.889⁰/₀₀. The infant
mortality rate of Rwanda and the
rest of EAC countries is very high.
Countries Infant mortality
Burundi 107
Kenya 77
Uganda 76
Tanzania 75
Rwanda 23.9
United Kingdom 4.5
Norway 3.1
Sweden 2.5
Infant Mortality rate of some countries

Causes of high mortality rates in
Rwanda
• Low level of education: people of low level of education lack the knowledge
and means to prevent against infections. They also lack the means to live in
healthy.
• High level of poverty: a large number of people in Rwanda lack the capacity to
afford expensive drugs and to live quality life.
• High fertility rate: high fertility and birth rates lead to many children and it
becomes difficult to give proper health care to each of the children. It also
puts the life of the mother in risk.
• Political instability and insecurity: the 1994 genocide resulted into hundreds
of thousands of deaths.
• Low level of health care information and practices: in Rwanda the proportion
of the population with the right information on health, especially reproductive
health is low.
• Inadequate health care facilities and services: hospitals, maternity centers,
clinics and dispensaries are few compared to the population.
• Absence of immunization in the population: diseases advantages of absence
of immunization in the population to claim large number of lives.

Natural growth rate
Population growth refer to an increase or decrease of the
population. It is the difference between the birth rate and death
rate over 10 because it is evaluated in percentages.
GR:
𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞−𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
×100
In 2008, the birth rate of Rwanda was 39⁰/₀₀ population and the
death rate 16⁰/₀₀ population. The growth rate is (39⁰/₀₀-
16⁰/₀₀):10=2.3% population.
The 4th Population and Housing Census of 2012 showed the
growth rate of 2.6%. This high growth rate leads to the
overpopulation.

Fertility rate
• Fertility rate refers to the average
number of children born to a woman in
her life time. It is calculated per every
100 women in a population.
• The fertility rate in Rwanda was 5.2 in
2016. It is calculated using the
following formula:
• FR:
𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧
𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝟏𝟓−𝟒𝟗
×1000
Top five countries with
high fertility rate.
country Total Fertility
rate
1. Niger 6.4
2. Angola 6.3
3. Mali 6
4. Burundi 6
5. Somalia 6

Factors affecting
fertility rate in Africa
includes the following
• Illiteracy
• Women’s low status
• Early marriage
• Polygamy
• Cultural beliefs and practices
• Security for old age
• Labor force
• High infant and child
mortality rate
Total fertility rate in
Africa

Life expectancy
Life expectancy refers to the average period or number of years that a
person expects to live. In Rwanda, life expectancy has increased due
to improvement in standards of living and healthcare. In the year
2021, the life expectancy of Rwanda was at 67 years.
Life expectancy is affected by factors such as socioeconomic status,
including
• Employment,
• Income,
• Education and economic wellbeing,
• The quality of the health system and the ability of people to access it;
• Health behaviors such as tobacco and excessive alcohol
consumption,
• Poor nutrition and lack of exercise

Human migration in Rwanda
Human migration is the movement
of people from one place to another
with intentions of settling,
permanently or temporarily, at a
new location (geographic region).
The movement often occurs over
long distances and from one
country to another (external
migration), but internal migration
(within a single country) is also
possible; indeed, this is the
dominant form of human migration
globally

Causes of migrations
• Availability of fertile land
• Famine and poverty
• Employment in a given area
• Religious reasons
• Shortage of land for agriculture and livestock farming
• Environmental problems or calamities such as flood,
earthquakes, drought, etc.
• Political instabilities and insecurity
• Educational facilities
• Poor housing conditions
• Other reasons such as diseases, visit, tourism, etc.

Types of migration in Rwanda
There are two main types of migration: internal and external
migrations.
1. External migration
It is an international movement because people of Rwanda move
out of the country and foreign people come in Rwanda.
There are two types of external migration:
• Emigration: when people move out of Rwanda to other country
and they are called Emigrants.
• Immigration: is used for foreign people who come in Rwanda and
they are called in Rwanda Immigrants.

2. Internal migration or in-migration
It is a movement of people in Rwanda from one place to another place.
Internal migration may be:
• Rural to urban migration: Movement of population living in rural areas to
trading centers or towns. For example, the movement of people from
any part of Rwanda’s rural areas like Maraba, Mbazi, etc. to Kigali city,
Butare town, etc.
• Urban to rural migration: The movement of population living in trade
centers towns and cities to rural areas. For example people move from
Kigali city to any rural areas of Rwanda.
• Rural to rural migration: Movement from one rural area to another rural
area.
• Urban to urban migration: The movement of population from one urban
area to another urban area or from one side to another side within the
same urban center. For example, people move from Nyamagabe town to
Butare town, from Nyamirambo to Muhima in Kigali city, etc.

Internal and external migrations may
be:
• Voluntary where nobody is forced
to migrate.
• Involuntary where people move
without their wish. Example of
refugees and Internally Displaced
Persons(IDPs).
• Short term migration: daily, weekly,
monthly, seasonal movement of
people.
• Long term migration when the
movement of people exceed one
year for place of destination.

Effects of migration both in origin and
destination areas
In the areas of origin In destination areas
- Reduction of the population
- High proportion of old people who
is inactive because often migrants
are predominantly youth and
- Under exploitation of natural
resources
- Less development of an area
- Brain-drain: lack of skilled
population because the educated
people migrate
- Some migrants remit money to
relatives or families back at home
- High population density
- Unemployment
- Mixed culture
- Moral degradation and high crime
rate in urban areas
- Street children in urban areas
- Development of slums (areas of
poor and unhygienic houses) in
urban areas
- Spread of diseases in slums
- Environmental degradation

Population growth in Rwanda
Population growth is the increase or decrease in the number of
individuals in a population while population growth rate is the
rate at which the number of individuals in a population increases
or decreases in a given time period.
Population growth rate of
Rwanda
Source; Worldometer
Rwanda has a high
population growth
which keeps
increasing every year.
As at 2014, the
population growth
rate of Rwanda was
estimated to be at
2.63%.

Factors influencing population growth in
Rwanda
• Religion: Some religious faiths teach their followers to
procreate and have many children in the quest to fill the world.
Other faiths favour polygamy. All these teachings lead to an
increase in the population.
• Early marriages: In most developing countries like Rwanda, girls
get married when they are still very young. The longer they stay
in their marriages, the more number of children they are likely
to have.
• High birth and fertility rates: In Rwanda, the fertility rate
averagely stands at about 5 children per every female. This
means that families are big translating to an increase in
population.
• Polygamous marriages: The more women there are in a
marriage, the more number of children they are likely to get

• Improved health care: In Rwanda, improved health facilities,
immunisation programs and the use of modern drugs have led to
reduction in the diseases such as malaria and other epidemics
which claimed many lives. As a result, there is an increase in
birth and fertility rates and a decrease in infant mortality rate.
• High levels of illiteracy have made many people unable to utilise
family planning methods. Lack of this information encourages
people to get many children leading to an increase in population.
• Migrations and refugees: This movement leads to an increase in
population in the area where the people move to and a decrease
where they come from.
• Traditions and cultural beliefs: Most rural citizens uphold
traditional values that encourage big families for labour and
wealth. Most families therefore have many children in order to
uphold the cultural values of their communities.

Consequences of rapid population
growth in Rwanda

Positive effects
1. Source of labour: A high population offers cheap source of
labour.
2. Source of revenue: A high population means a high source of
revenue to the government through tax levies.
3. Creation of markets: The rapid population growth in an area or
country leads a high demand for goods and services.
4. Exploitation of resources: An increase in population enables
the use and full utilisation of resources.
5. Urbanisation and industrialisation: The movement of people
from areas of high population to areas with low population
contributes a lot to the development of towns, cities and
industries

Negative effects
• Food shortages: In areas with high populations, there is always a
shortage of food supply due to the high demands.
• Shortage of land: Rapid population growth has resulted in
scarcity of land due to pressure on land.
• Unemployment: A rapid population growth means there is a high
number of job seekers with few employment opportunities.
• Migration: The rapid population growth has influenced many to
move from one place to another in search of better survival
opportunities and living conditions.
• Environmental degradation: Rapid population growth is a cause
of environmental degradation. People encroach on the reserved
areas, degrading the environment.

• Insecurity and increased crime rate: Crime is increasingly
becoming common in the highly populated areas of Rwanda.
This is because of congestion and joblessness. The crime rate is
higher in urban areas.
• High cost of living: Rapid population growth has led to an
increase in the cost of living. Due to the increase in demand for
various resources such as housing, food and transport etc.
• Increased government expenditure: The government spends a
lot of funds in addressing the effects of rapid population
growth.
• Development of slums: Rapid population growth has come
along with the emergence of shanty towns also known as slums.
Such areas harbour criminals, have poor hygiene and drainage
systems and have substandard houses
• Shortage of social facilities: due to congestion Rapid population
growth has increased population pressure on the existing social
facilities, like schools and hospitals.

32
Food shortages: In areas with high
populations, there is always a
shortage of food supply due to
the high demands.
Shortage of land: Rapid population
growth has resulted in scarcity of land
due to pressure on land.
Shortage of food supply

Unemployment: A rapid
population growth means there
is a high number of job seekers
with few employment
opportunities
Migration: The rapid
population growth has
influenced many to move
from one place to another
in search of better
survival opportunities and
living conditions.
People protesting for employment
Immigrants move for better survival
opportunities and living conditions

Environmental degradation: Rapid
population growth is a cause of
environmental degradation. People
invade on the reserved areas,
degrading the environment.
Shortage of social facilities:
due to congestion Rapid
population growth has
increased population
pressure on the existing
social facilities, like schools
and hospitals
Maternity room crisis - Kibogora hospital
Encroachment of forest for charcoal

Theft and
Burglaries
High cost of living forces people to engage in some activities bad for their health
Increased government
expenditure to meet the growing
population

Solutions to rapid population growth
• Encouraging migration: The government should encourage
people to migrate from high to low population areas.
• Education on the importance of family planning: The population
should be educated on the importance of and encouraged to use
family planning methods in order to have small families
• Emphasis on education especially of the girl child Educating the
girl child to higher levels tends to delay the age at which the
girls get married. This discourages early marriages which lead to
high birth rates and big families.
• Economic empowerment of the masses especially of the women
gives them the power to make wise decisions among them the
number of children they should have and can comfortable
support.
• Government intervention: The government can intervene by
providing incentives to the families that have few children.

Active population in economic
sectors
Active population in Rwanda includes employed and
unemployed people between the ages of 15 and 64 except
students and housewives.
Active people in Rwanda are grouped in three sectors.
• Primary sector: Most of active population in Rwanda is found
in this sector, around 85%. This sector is composed by
agriculture, livestock farming, hunting, gathering, etc.
Agriculture and livestock farming dominate in this sector in
Rwanda
• Secondary sector: It is composed by craft and modern industry.
It concerns only 5% of active population in Rwanda.
• Tertiary sector: It contains services like trade, transport,
education, banks, health institutions, administration, etc. This
sector groups around 10% of active population in Rwanda.

Population explosion and its problems in
Rwanda
• Population explosion is a rapid increase in the population of an area or a
given country. This is closely associated with the high population density
which has caused a shortage of natural resources like arable land and led
to decreasing farm size.
Natural resources are elements found in area that people need: water, soil,
air, rocks, minerals, natural vegetation, etc.
• Optimum population is said in the country when the number of
population is in balance or equilibrium with the available resources.
• Under-population is a case where the number of people living in an area
are below the available resources.
• Over-population is a case where the number of people living in an area
exceed the available resources due to the population explosion. It is the
case of Rwanda with its high population density of 415 inhabitants/km².

Problems of over population in
Rwanda

Environmental problems
• Deforestation due to greater need for firewood, land for cultivation,
settlement, etc.
• Pollution: solid, liquid and gaseous waste materials are discharged
into the environment lowering its natural quality.
• Soil erosion influenced by misuse of soil especially on the steep
slopes.
• Degradation of wetland as a result of overuse of resources found in
the swampy areas: water, fishes, materials for building, pottery,
basketry, etc.
• Overgrazing because the land for grazing of animals decreases (many
animals in the pasture).
• Flooding: The vegetation cover reduces running water rate on the
ground. Due to the deforestation, running water increases leading to
floods in the valleys.
• Desertification due to the deforestation which reduces rainfall in the
area

• Social problems: poor feeding that leads to malnutrition of people,
high illiteracy rate, poverty, poor medical, etc.
• Unemployment: there are few employment opportunities for skilled
Rwandans because secondary and tertiary economic sectors are not
developed.
• Overexploitation of natural resources
• Lower income level: low salaries or wages because the government
finds difficulty to pay well its employees.
• Poor and inadequate housing in rural areas and in some parts of
urban centers especially in slums.
• Lower quality of education: big number of students in comparison
with adequate classrooms, instructional materials, educators, etc.
• Rising government expenditures to provide housing, health services,
education, transport and other services to the population.
• Government dependency in terms of aids from foreign countries
• Poor transport and communication
Human and economic problems

Advantages of overpopulation in
Rwanda
• Increase of man power
• It may be a big representation of Rwanda at international level
due to its high number of population
• The security of the country due to the big proportion of people
who may be recruited in the army, police, local defense
• The increase of potential market: big demand for goods and
services
• The revenue of the government may increase due to the taxes
if the increasing population is productive

Solutions of overpopulation in
Rwanda
• Birth control using the following ways:
• Family planning using the pills and other contraceptive methods
• Encouraging the late marriage
• Restricting polygamy marriage
• Setting up a number of children per family
• Involving the media (radio, TV, newspapers), health workers and other
people in education about dangers of overpopulation
• Encouraging female education to change traditional attitudes of
Rwandan people about high birth rate. Female education results delaying
marriage and enlightening the population in danger of large population.
• We must increase the woman status especially in rural areas.
• Development of natural resources to support the need of a big number of
people in Rwanda.

Revision Questions
1. Define the following terms in relation to population:
(a)Birth rate
(b)Death rate
(c)Growth rate
(d)Life expectancy
2. Describe the population distribution and density in Rwanda by stating the
areas with high and low population densities.
3. Explain any six factors that influence population distribution in Rwanda.
4. Describe the population structure of Rwanda.
5. (a) Discuss five factors that influence population growth in Rwanda.
(b) Analyze five consequences of population growth in Rwanda.
6. (a) Name and explain the types of migrations.
(b) Discuss any six causes of migration in Rwanda.
(c)Analyze five consequences of migration that are evident in Rwanda.

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