Women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda

Uganda: Women who were first married by age 18 was 34.0% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
34.0%
World rank
8th
of 31 countries
All-time high
54.1%
in 1995
All-time low
34.0%
in 2016
Years of data
7
1989–2016

Women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda, 1989–2016

02040601989200220161989: 52.6 % of women ages 20-241995: 54.1 % of women ages 20-242001: 53.9 % of women ages 20-242005: 51.4 % of women ages 20-242006: 46.3 % of women ages 20-242011: 39.7 % of women ages 20-242016: 34 % of women ages 20-24

Source: UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of women ages 20-24.

Analysis

Uganda recorded 34.0% for women who were first married by age 18 in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda peaked at 54.1% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 34.0%, in 2016.

That places Uganda 8th out of 31 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.

Women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda, year by year

Annual values for Women who were first married by age 18 (% of women ages 20-24) in Uganda, 1989 to 2016.
Year % of women ages 20-24 Change
1989 52.6%
1995 54.1% +2.9%
2001 53.9% -0.4%
2005 51.4% -4.6%
2006 46.3% -9.9%
2011 39.7% -14.3%
2016 34.0% -14.4%

Uganda compared with similar countries

  • Uganda's 34.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 38.7%, 88% of the median. (7 countries reporting)
  • Uganda's 34.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.2%, 1.1× the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 52.6% 52.6% 52.6% 1
1990s 54.1% 54.1% 54.1% 1
2000s 50.5% 46.3% 53.9% 3
2010s 36.9% 34.0% 39.7% 2

Countries ranked near Uganda

  1. 5 Malawi 38.7% compare
  2. 6 Burkina Faso 38.2% compare
  3. 7 Nepal 34.9% compare
  4. 9 Zimbabwe 33.7% compare
  5. 10 Nigeria 33.4% compare
  6. 11 Dominican Republic 31.5% compare

See the full ranking of 31 places →

More health data for Uganda

All data for Uganda →

Frequently asked questions

What is women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda?
Women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda was 34.0% in 2016, according to UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest women who were first married by age 18 recorded in Uganda?
The highest recorded value was 54.1% in 1995.
What is the lowest women who were first married by age 18 recorded in Uganda?
The lowest recorded value was 34.0% in 2016.
How does Uganda rank for women who were first married by age 18?
Uganda ranks 8th out of 31 countries with data for 2016.
Is women who were first married by age 18 rising or falling in Uganda?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Uganda data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Women who were first married by age 18 (% of women ages 20-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Women who were first married by age 18 in Uganda. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/women-who-were-first-married-by-age-18-percent-of-women-ages-20-24/uganda/

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About this data

Indicator
Women who were first married by age 18 (% of women ages 20-24)
Unit
% of women ages 20-24
Source
UNICEF Data, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
31 places, 217 data points, 1986–2025
Last refreshed

Women who were first married by age 18 refers to the percentage of women ages 20-24 who were first married by age 18.