Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — China

Rural population share in China in 2025 — 33.7%. Ranked 117 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 46.6 pp.

2025 33.7% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 117of 217
Period maximum 83.2%1963
Period minimum 33.7%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — China, 1960–20252040608010019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 80.3%1962: 82.7%1964: 81.7%1966: 82.1%1968: 82.4%1970: 82.6%1972: 82.9%1974: 82.8%1976: 82.6%1978: 82.1%1980: 80.6%1982: 79.4%1984: 77%1986: 75.5%1988: 74.2%1990: 73.8%1992: 72.5%1994: 71.5%1996: 69.5%1998: 66.6%2000: 63.6%2002: 60.9%2004: 58.2%2006: 55.7%2008: 53%2010: 50.8%2012: 46.9%2014: 44.2%2016: 41.2%2018: 38.5%2020: 36.5%2022: 34.8%2024: 34.1%2025: 33.7%
Change over the period: −46.6 pp Annual average: -0.72 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: China

China 33.7%
World 42.2%
Eastern Asia computed 31.1%
Rural population share — China, by year China All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 33.7 −0.4 pp
2024 34.1 −0.4 pp
2023 34.5 −0.3 pp
2022 34.8 −0.5 pp
2021 35.3 −1.2 pp
2020 36.5 −0.8 pp
2019 37.3 −1.2 pp
2018 38.5 −1.3 pp
2017 39.8 −1.4 pp
2016 41.2 −1.5 pp
2015 42.7 −1.6 pp
2014 44.2 −1.3 pp
2013 45.5 −1.4 pp
2012 46.9 −1.3 pp
2011 48.2 −2.6 pp
2010 50.8 −0.9 pp
2009 51.7 −1.4 pp
2008 53 −1.1 pp
2007 54.1 −1.5 pp
2006 55.7 −1.4 pp
2005 57 −1.2 pp
2004 58.2 −1.2 pp
2003 59.5 −1.4 pp
2002 60.9 −1.4 pp
2001 62.3 −1.2 pp
2000 63.6 −1.7 pp
1999 65.2 −1.4 pp
1998 66.6 −1.4 pp
1997 68.1 −1.4 pp
1996 69.5 −1.4 pp
1995 71 −0.5 pp
1994 71.5 −0.5 pp
1993 72 −0.5 pp
1992 72.5 −0.5 pp
1991 73.1 −0.7 pp
1990 73.8 +0 pp
1989 73.8 −0.4 pp
1988 74.2 −0.5 pp
1987 74.7 −0.8 pp
1986 75.5 −0.8 pp
1985 76.3 −0.7 pp
1984 77 −1.4 pp
1983 78.4 −1.1 pp
1982 79.4 −0.4 pp
1981 79.8 −0.8 pp
1980 80.6 −0.4 pp
1979 81 −1 pp
1978 82.1 −0.4 pp
1977 82.4 −0.1 pp
1976 82.6 −0.1 pp
1975 82.7 −0.2 pp
1974 82.8 +0 pp
1973 82.8 −0.1 pp
1972 82.9 +0.1 pp
1971 82.7 +0.1 pp
1970 82.6 +0.1 pp
1969 82.5 +0.1 pp
1968 82.4 +0.1 pp
1967 82.3 +0.1 pp
1966 82.1 +0.1 pp
1965 82 +0.3 pp
1964 81.7 −1.5 pp
1963 83.2 +0.5 pp
1962 82.7 +2 pp
1961 80.7 +0.5 pp
1960 80.3

Eastern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.