Nigeria vs South Africa: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization)
Nigeria
36.2%
in 2025
South Africa
36.2%
in 2025
Nigeria rank
107th
South Africa rank
108th
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) over time
- Nigeria
- South Africa
How they compare
Nigeria currently reports 36.2% against 36.2% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.
Across all 66 years both countries report, Nigeria has been ahead every year.
Nigeria ranks 107th and South Africa ranks 108th of 218 countries.
Nigeria has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.2% | 52.7% | 30.4% | Nigeria |
| 1970s | 76.6% | 52.0% | 24.7% | Nigeria |
| 1980s | 69.1% | 50.6% | 18.5% | Nigeria |
| 1990s | 61.2% | 46.6% | 14.6% | Nigeria |
| 2000s | 52.9% | 40.6% | 12.3% | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 44.7% | 36.9% | 7.8% | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 38.2% | 36.4% | 1.8% | Nigeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, Nigeria or South Africa?
- Nigeria, at 36.2% against 36.2% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in rural population between Nigeria and South Africa?
- 0.0%, with Nigeria ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for rural population?
- Nigeria ranks 107th and South Africa ranks 108th of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.