Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas was 1.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1991–2023
Source: ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 1.0% for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 2.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2023.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 178th out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
| 1992 | 2.1% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -4.8% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -9.6% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | -9.3% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | -9.9% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -20.9% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +18.6% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -8.0% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -1.8% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 1.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.6%, 38% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 1.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.9%, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1668 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 1.0% 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2023.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for share of employment in agriculture vs. share of population living in rural areas?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 178th 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.