Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 1.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Puerto Rico recorded 1.2% for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico peaked at 3.6% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2007.
Puerto Rico ranks 174th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.6% | — |
| 1992 | 3.4% | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | -17.8% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | -13.0% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | -11.2% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | -13.4% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | +7.0% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -30.8% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -21.5% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | +32.0% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 1.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.6%, 45% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 1.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.0%, 10% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +32.0% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| 2006 | -30.8% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.2% | 3.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More agriculture & rural data for Puerto Rico
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.4415 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0069 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 278.57 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0566 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.7% (2025)
- Rural population 5.7% (2025)
- Rural population growth -2.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in Puerto Rico was 1.2% in 2023, according to ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2007.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- Puerto Rico ranks 174th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of people employed in agriculture includes working-age people with a job in farming, forestry, fishing, and related activities, including those temporarily absent.