Lindi: population, incomes, poverty, health, schools and living conditions
Lindi is a region of Tanzania, number 25 of 31 by population. The National Bureau of Statistics projects the population of Lindi region at 1,310,539 in 2026, 1.9% of Tanzania's 70.04 million; 7th smallest of Tanzania's 31 regions. The projection is built from the 2022 census.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Lindi: Lindi's economy produced goods and services worth TSh 4.60 trillion in 2025 (provisional regional GDP at current prices), 2.0% of Mainland Tanzania's total; 6th smallest of the 26 Mainland regions.
- Health in Lindi: 21.3% of children under five in Lindi were stunted (too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition) in the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, and 2.1% were wasted (too thin); stunting is 7th lowest of Tanzania's 31 regions (Tanzania: 30.0%).
- Education in Lindi: 77.6% of adults aged 15 and over in Lindi could read and write at the 2022 census, up from 68.0% in 2012 (Tanzania: 83.0%); 10th lowest of Tanzania's 31 regions.
- Poverty and living standards in Lindi: 38.0% of people in Lindi lived below the basic-needs poverty line (TSh 49,320 per adult a month) in the 2017-18 Household Budget Survey, 3rd highest of the 26 Mainland regions (Mainland: 26.4%); 15.3% could not afford even the minimum food basket (Mainland: 8.0%). This is the latest official regional poverty survey; results of the 2024-25 survey are not yet published.
How fast is Lindi's population growing?
The 2022 Population and Housing Census counted 1,194,028 people in Lindi, up 329,376 from 864,652 in 2012: growth of 3.2% a year (Tanzania: 3.2% a year), joint 14th fastest of Tanzania's 31 regions.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copyHow many households are there in Lindi?
20.7% of Lindi's residents lived in urban areas at the 2022 census (Tanzania: 34.9%); 9th least urban of Tanzania's 31 regions. The census counted 344,447 households, with 3.4 people each on average (Tanzania: 4.3).
Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copyHow densely populated is Lindi?
Lindi had about 19 people per square kilometre in 2025 (NBS projection; Tanzania: 77), the least densely populated of Tanzania's 31 regions.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow many people in Lindi have a birth certificate?
25.0% of Lindi's residents had a birth certificate at the 2022 census (Tanzania: 28.8%), 12th lowest of Tanzania's 31 regions.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copyMore figures
- On current trends Lindi's population is projected to reach 1,401,377 by 2030, 6.9% more than in 2026 (Tanzania: 10.9%). Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copy
- 41.3% of the 2,399 births registered in Lindi in 2025 were registered within the legal 90 days (Mainland: 51.0%), against 17.6% in 2024. Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copy
How regions are governed in Tanzania
Regions (31: 26 mainland, 5 Zanzibar). Regional commissioner appointed by the president. Supervise local councils, keep law and order; regional secretariat gives technical advice.
Every tier of government in Tanzania
Other regions of Tanzania
- Dar es Salaam 6,003,954
- Mwanza 4,242,495
- Tabora 3,895,504
- Morogoro 3,569,719
- Dodoma 3,479,323
- Geita 3,476,462
- Kagera 3,419,918
- Tanga 2,932,548
- Kigoma 2,847,496
- Mara 2,732,719
- Arusha 2,662,094
- Mbeya 2,616,176
- Shinyanga 2,558,483
- Simiyu 2,516,511
- Singida 2,298,443
- Pwani 2,245,859
- Manyara 2,161,860
- Ruvuma 2,078,301
- Kilimanjaro 2,061,256
- Rukwa 1,806,971
- Mtwara 1,806,609
- Songwe 1,527,117
- Katavi 1,343,010
- Iringa 1,310,690
- Mjini Magharibi 1,017,138
- Njombe 973,707
- Kaskazini Pemba 318,290
- Kusini Pemba 313,589
- Kaskazini Unguja 291,967
- Kusini Unguja 220,102
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Sources
- National Bureau of Statistics: Tanzania Statistical Abstract 2025: Tables 3.2, 3.6, 12.3, 12.15, 16.3 and 16.6 (density, birth registration, schools, crime and road deaths by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 65b6dcd7d322…)
- National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar: 2022 Population and Housing Census: Administrative Units Population Distribution Report, Volume 1A (Table 1: population and growth by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6f41eee70eef…)
- Ministry of Health, National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar (with ICF): Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey 2022, Key Indicators Report: Tables 4, 6, 9, 12, 14 and 18 by region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9108bc9f13cf…)
- National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar: Tanzania Formal Sector Employment and Earnings Survey 2024/25: Table 2.10 (employees by region) and Table 6.6 (newly recruited workers by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f21640fc36b0…)
- National Bureau of Statistics: National Accounts Statistics of Mainland Tanzania 2019-2025, Tables 27 and 26: regional GDP and GDP per head at current prices, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c343f2c8c1d3…)
- National Bureau of Statistics: Household Budget Survey 2017-18, Tanzania Mainland, Key Indicators Report: Tables 4.1 and 4.3 (consumption and poverty by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 61cf58d49ba9…)
- National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar: 2022 Population and Housing Census: Basic Demographic and Socio-Economic Profile, United Republic of Tanzania (regional tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20ed491aac53…)
- National Bureau of Statistics: National Population Projections 2023-2050, Tables D5.1-D5.2: regional population projections, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 63a0ea088f0d…)
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