Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization)
Saudi Arabia
15.4%
in 2025
United Kingdom
16.7%
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
172nd
United Kingdom rank
169th
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) over time
- Saudi Arabia
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 16.7% against 15.4% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 1.3%.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.1 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd and United Kingdom ranks 169th of 218 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 4 and United Kingdom in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 61.4% | 22.3% | 39.1% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 42.6% | 22.5% | 20.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 28.0% | 21.6% | 6.4% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 21.4% | 21.3% | 0.0% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 19.1% | 19.6% | 0.5% | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 17.1% | 18.2% | 1.1% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 15.8% | 16.9% | 1.1% | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 16.7% against 15.4% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in rural population between Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom?
- 1.3%, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom rank globally for rural population?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd and United Kingdom ranks 169th 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.