Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Lower-middle-income countries

Rural population share in lower-middle-income countries in 2025 — 56.6%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 23.3 pp.

2025 56.6% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 79.9%1960
Period minimum 56.6%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Lower-middle-income countries, 1960–20255060708019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 79.9%1962: 79.4%1964: 78.8%1966: 78.2%1968: 77.5%1970: 76.8%1972: 76%1974: 75.3%1976: 74.4%1978: 73.5%1980: 72.6%1982: 71.9%1984: 71.3%1986: 70.7%1988: 70.2%1990: 69.6%1992: 69%1994: 68.5%1996: 68%1998: 67.4%2000: 66.8%2002: 66.1%2004: 65.3%2006: 64.4%2008: 63.5%2010: 62.6%2012: 61.7%2014: 60.9%2016: 60.1%2018: 59.3%2020: 58.6%2022: 57.8%2024: 57%2025: 56.6%
Change over the period: −23.3 pp Annual average: -0.36 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Lower-middle-income countries 56.6%
World 42.2%
Rural population share — Lower-middle-income countries, by year Lower-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 56.6 −0.4 pp
2024 57 −0.4 pp
2023 57.4 −0.4 pp
2022 57.8 −0.4 pp
2021 58.2 −0.4 pp
2020 58.6 −0.4 pp
2019 58.9 −0.4 pp
2018 59.3 −0.4 pp
2017 59.7 −0.4 pp
2016 60.1 −0.4 pp
2015 60.5 −0.4 pp
2014 60.9 −0.4 pp
2013 61.3 −0.4 pp
2012 61.7 −0.4 pp
2011 62.1 −0.4 pp
2010 62.6 −0.4 pp
2009 63 −0.5 pp
2008 63.5 −0.5 pp
2007 63.9 −0.5 pp
2006 64.4 −0.5 pp
2005 64.8 −0.4 pp
2004 65.3 −0.4 pp
2003 65.7 −0.4 pp
2002 66.1 −0.4 pp
2001 66.5 −0.3 pp
2000 66.8 −0.3 pp
1999 67.1 −0.3 pp
1998 67.4 −0.3 pp
1997 67.7 −0.3 pp
1996 68 −0.3 pp
1995 68.3 −0.3 pp
1994 68.5 −0.3 pp
1993 68.8 −0.3 pp
1992 69 −0.3 pp
1991 69.3 −0.3 pp
1990 69.6 −0.3 pp
1989 69.9 −0.3 pp
1988 70.2 −0.3 pp
1987 70.5 −0.3 pp
1986 70.7 −0.3 pp
1985 71 −0.3 pp
1984 71.3 −0.3 pp
1983 71.6 −0.3 pp
1982 71.9 −0.3 pp
1981 72.3 −0.4 pp
1980 72.6 −0.4 pp
1979 73 −0.4 pp
1978 73.5 −0.5 pp
1977 73.9 −0.5 pp
1976 74.4 −0.5 pp
1975 74.9 −0.4 pp
1974 75.3 −0.3 pp
1973 75.6 −0.4 pp
1972 76 −0.4 pp
1971 76.4 −0.4 pp
1970 76.8 −0.3 pp
1969 77.1 −0.4 pp
1968 77.5 −0.4 pp
1967 77.9 −0.3 pp
1966 78.2 −0.3 pp
1965 78.5 −0.3 pp
1964 78.8 −0.3 pp
1963 79.1 −0.3 pp
1962 79.4 −0.3 pp
1961 79.6 −0.3 pp
1960 79.9

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.