Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya
Kenya: Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters was 1.07 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya, 1965–2025
Source: EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya is 1.07 million people, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 50.2% on the previous year and up 129.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya peaked at 7.47 million people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 19,972 people, in 1979.
Kenya ranks 31st of 78 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 260,000 people | — |
| 1971 | 150,000 people | -42.3% |
| 1979 | 19,972 people | -86.7% |
| 1980 | 20,028 people | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 600,000 people | +2895.8% |
| 1991 | 1.35 million people | +124.7% |
| 1992 | 1.35 million people | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 547,242 people | -59.5% |
| 1995 | 652,758 people | +19.3% |
| 1997 | 800,000 people | +22.6% |
| 1998 | 800,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 632,653 people | -20.9% |
| 2000 | 7.45 million people | +1077.4% |
| 2001 | 7.45 million people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7.47 million people | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 2.30 million people | -69.2% |
| 2005 | 273,989 people | -88.1% |
| 2006 | 3.23 million people | +1077.4% |
| 2008 | 1.27 million people | -60.5% |
| 2009 | 2.53 million people | +98.4% |
| 2011 | 6.17 million people | +144.3% |
| 2012 | 1.88 million people | -69.6% |
| 2014 | 1.13 million people | -39.7% |
| 2015 | 468,218 people | -58.6% |
| 2016 | 1.19 million people | +154.8% |
| 2017 | 2.03 million people | +70.6% |
| 2018 | 172,788 people | -91.5% |
| 2019 | 2.60 million people | +1404.7% |
| 2020 | 183,311 people | -92.9% |
| 2021 | 2.16 million people | +1077.4% |
| 2022 | 2.16 million people | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.07 million people | -50.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 1.07 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 933,054 people, 1.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 1.07 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.70 million people, 63% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +2895.8% | 20,028 people | 600,000 people |
| 2019 | +1404.7% | 172,788 people | 2.60 million people |
| 2000 | +1077.4% | 632,653 people | 7.45 million people |
| 2006 | +1077.4% | 273,989 people | 3.23 million people |
| 2021 | +1077.4% | 183,311 people | 2.16 million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 260,000 people | 260,000 people | 260,000 people | 1 |
| 1970s | 84,986 people | 19,972 people | 150,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 310,014 people | 20,028 people | 600,000 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 876,093 people | 547,242 people | 1.35 million people | 7 |
| 2000s | 4.00 million people | 273,989 people | 7.47 million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.96 million people | 172,788 people | 6.17 million people | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.39 million people | 183,311 people | 2.16 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya?
- Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Kenya was 1.07 million people in 2025, according to EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual number of people affected by all natural disasters recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 7.47 million people in 2002.
- What is the lowest annual number of people affected by all natural disasters recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 19,972 people in 1979.
- How does Kenya rank for annual number of people affected by all natural disasters?
- Kenya ranks 31st out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual number of people affected by all natural disasters rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 129.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of people affected by a natural disaster.