Population and Demographics of Ethiopia
Fast population growth · +2.62% in 2024
Ethiopia has 132.06 million residents in the 2024 estimate, while annual population change stands at +2.62%. Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, Ethiopia moved +95.9% in population size. The medium projection reaches 225.02 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 70.4% above 2024.
Population Over Time in Ethiopia
The 2000 to 2024 record shows Ethiopia moving from 67.411M people to 132.060M, a 95.9% increase. By 2050, the medium path reaches 225.022M, which would make the population substantially larger than in 2024. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Age composition is an important part of Ethiopia's demographic picture in 2024. Under-15s account for 39.06% of residents and people 65+ for 3.23%, leaving 57.71% in the broad 15 to 64 range. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
In the World Bank 2024 series, females account for 49.9% of Ethiopia's population and males 50.1%. The split is close to even.
Female and male population share
The World Bank's 2024 series shows a nearly even sex balance: 49.9% female and 50.1% male.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Ethiopia's +2.62% annual change in 2024 sits beside fertility of 3.9 children per woman, within a population where the under-15 and 65-plus shares differ by 35.83 percentage points.
From 2000 to 2024, Ethiopia's population moved +95.9%, and the medium outlook then points +70.4% from 2024 to 2050; explaining that movement requires component data beyond these headline indicators.
2024 estimate for Ethiopia. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Ethiopia vs. World
The comparison puts Ethiopia's +2.62% annual change beside a world rate of +0.87%, a fertility rate of 3.9 beside 2.25, and a median age of 19 years beside 30.6 globally.
| Indicator | Ethiopia | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +2.62% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.9 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 19 | 30.6 | 2024 |
This comparison avoids mixed-year arithmetic by keeping Ethiopia and the world on the same 2024 harmonized demographic table.
Key Takeaways
At 132.060M, the 2024 population is paired with an annual change rate of +2.62%.
The 2024 age structure is 39.06% under 15, 57.71% aged 15 to 64 and 3.23% aged 65 or older.
Females make up 49.9% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 50.1%.
By 2050, the medium projection is 225.022M, differing from 2024 by roughly 92.96 million people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Ethiopia?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Ethiopia is 132,059,767 people.
Is the population of Ethiopia growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Ethiopia's population is growing, with annual change of +2.62%.
What percentage of the population of Ethiopia is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 3.23% of Ethiopia's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Ethiopia in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Ethiopia's 2050 population at 225,021,875.
What is the fertility rate in Ethiopia?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Ethiopia is 3.9 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.