Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Low-income countries

Rural population share in low-income countries in 2025 — 64.4%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 22.3 pp.

2025 64.4% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 86.7%1960
Period minimum 64.4%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Low-income countries, 1960–20256070809019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 86.7%1962: 86%1964: 85.3%1966: 84.5%1968: 83.6%1970: 82.8%1972: 82%1974: 81.3%1976: 80.8%1978: 80.2%1980: 79.6%1982: 79.1%1984: 78.5%1986: 77.7%1988: 76.9%1990: 76.1%1992: 75.4%1994: 74.8%1996: 74.2%1998: 73.7%2000: 73.2%2002: 72.6%2004: 72.2%2006: 71.7%2008: 71.1%2010: 70.5%2012: 69.5%2014: 68.6%2016: 68%2018: 67.3%2020: 66.5%2022: 65.7%2024: 64.9%2025: 64.4%
Change over the period: −22.3 pp Annual average: -0.34 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries

Low-income countries 64.4%
World 42.2%
Rural population share — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 64.4 −0.4 pp
2024 64.9 −0.4 pp
2023 65.3 −0.4 pp
2022 65.7 −0.4 pp
2021 66.1 −0.4 pp
2020 66.5 −0.4 pp
2019 66.9 −0.4 pp
2018 67.3 −0.4 pp
2017 67.7 −0.4 pp
2016 68 −0.3 pp
2015 68.4 −0.3 pp
2014 68.6 −0.4 pp
2013 69 −0.6 pp
2012 69.5 −0.6 pp
2011 70.1 −0.4 pp
2010 70.5 −0.3 pp
2009 70.8 −0.3 pp
2008 71.1 −0.4 pp
2007 71.5 −0.2 pp
2006 71.7 −0.3 pp
2005 72 −0.2 pp
2004 72.2 −0.2 pp
2003 72.4 −0.2 pp
2002 72.6 −0.2 pp
2001 72.9 −0.3 pp
2000 73.2 −0.3 pp
1999 73.4 −0.3 pp
1998 73.7 −0.3 pp
1997 74 −0.2 pp
1996 74.2 −0.2 pp
1995 74.5 −0.3 pp
1994 74.8 −0.3 pp
1993 75.1 −0.3 pp
1992 75.4 −0.3 pp
1991 75.7 −0.4 pp
1990 76.1 −0.4 pp
1989 76.5 −0.4 pp
1988 76.9 −0.4 pp
1987 77.3 −0.4 pp
1986 77.7 −0.4 pp
1985 78.1 −0.4 pp
1984 78.5 −0.3 pp
1983 78.8 −0.3 pp
1982 79.1 −0.3 pp
1981 79.4 −0.3 pp
1980 79.6 −0.3 pp
1979 79.9 −0.3 pp
1978 80.2 −0.3 pp
1977 80.5 −0.3 pp
1976 80.8 −0.3 pp
1975 81 −0.3 pp
1974 81.3 −0.3 pp
1973 81.7 −0.4 pp
1972 82 −0.4 pp
1971 82.4 −0.4 pp
1970 82.8 −0.4 pp
1969 83.2 −0.4 pp
1968 83.6 −0.4 pp
1967 84 −0.4 pp
1966 84.5 −0.4 pp
1965 84.9 −0.4 pp
1964 85.3 −0.4 pp
1963 85.6 −0.4 pp
1962 86 −0.4 pp
1961 86.4 −0.4 pp
1960 86.7

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.