Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — Western Europe

Rural population share in Western Europe in 2025 — 17.8%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 14.7 pp.

2025 17.8% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 32.5%1960
Period minimum 17.8%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — Western Europe, 1960–2025152025303519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 32.5%1962: 31.3%1964: 29.9%1966: 28.5%1968: 27.5%1970: 26.9%1972: 26.4%1974: 26%1976: 25.9%1978: 25.7%1980: 25.6%1982: 25.3%1984: 25%1986: 24.7%1988: 24.4%1990: 24.1%1992: 23.8%1994: 23.5%1996: 23%1998: 22.4%2000: 22%2002: 21.5%2004: 21.2%2006: 21%2008: 20.9%2010: 20.8%2012: 20.6%2014: 20.2%2016: 19.5%2018: 19%2020: 18.5%2022: 18.2%2024: 17.9%2025: 17.8%
Change over the period: −14.7 pp Annual average: -0.23 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Western Europe 17.8%
World 42.2%
Rural population share — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 17.8 −0.1 pp
2024 17.9 −0.1 pp
2023 18 −0.1 pp
2022 18.2 −0.2 pp
2021 18.3 −0.2 pp
2020 18.5 −0.2 pp
2019 18.7 −0.3 pp
2018 19 −0.3 pp
2017 19.3 −0.2 pp
2016 19.5 −0.4 pp
2015 19.9 −0.3 pp
2014 20.2 −0.2 pp
2013 20.4 −0.1 pp
2012 20.6 −0.1 pp
2011 20.7 −0.1 pp
2010 20.8 −0.1 pp
2009 20.9 −0.1 pp
2008 20.9 −0 pp
2007 21 −0.1 pp
2006 21 −0.1 pp
2005 21.1 −0.1 pp
2004 21.2 −0.1 pp
2003 21.3 −0.1 pp
2002 21.5 −0.2 pp
2001 21.7 −0.3 pp
2000 22 −0.3 pp
1999 22.2 −0.2 pp
1998 22.4 −0.2 pp
1997 22.6 −0.4 pp
1996 23 −0.3 pp
1995 23.3 −0.2 pp
1994 23.5 −0.2 pp
1993 23.6 −0.2 pp
1992 23.8 −0.1 pp
1991 23.9 −0.1 pp
1990 24.1 −0.1 pp
1989 24.2 −0.2 pp
1988 24.4 −0.2 pp
1987 24.5 −0.1 pp
1986 24.7 −0.2 pp
1985 24.8 −0.1 pp
1984 25 −0.1 pp
1983 25.1 −0.1 pp
1982 25.3 −0.1 pp
1981 25.4 −0.1 pp
1980 25.6 −0.1 pp
1979 25.6 −0.1 pp
1978 25.7 −0.1 pp
1977 25.8 −0.1 pp
1976 25.9 −0.1 pp
1975 26 −0.1 pp
1974 26 −0.2 pp
1973 26.2 −0.2 pp
1972 26.4 −0.2 pp
1971 26.6 −0.3 pp
1970 26.9 −0.3 pp
1969 27.2 −0.3 pp
1968 27.5 −0.4 pp
1967 28 −0.6 pp
1966 28.5 −0.7 pp
1965 29.2 −0.7 pp
1964 29.9 −0.7 pp
1963 30.7 −0.6 pp
1962 31.3 −0.6 pp
1961 31.9 −0.5 pp
1960 32.5

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.