Rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Rural population, annual growth rate was 1.55 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.55 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.4%
Rank
6th
of 45 groups
All-time high
2.48 % change on previous year
in 1974
All-time low
1.55 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries stood at 1.55 % change on previous year. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries peaked at 2.48 % change on previous year in 1974 and was at its lowest, 1.55 % change on previous year, in 2025.
That places Least developed countries 6th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.15 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 2.17 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 2.18 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 2.19 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 2.21 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 2.2 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 2.23 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 2.24 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 2.17 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1970 | 2.06 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 1971 | 1.78 % change on previous year | -13.3% |
| 1972 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 2.07 % change on previous year | +17.5% |
| 1974 | 2.48 % change on previous year | +19.5% |
| 1975 | 2.26 % change on previous year | -8.7% |
| 1976 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -21.8% |
| 1977 | 1.69 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 1978 | 1.79 % change on previous year | +6.4% |
| 1979 | 1.88 % change on previous year | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 1.67 % change on previous year | -10.9% |
| 1981 | 1.7 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 2.04 % change on previous year | +20.2% |
| 1983 | 2.22 % change on previous year | +8.6% |
| 1984 | 2.18 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 2.12 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 2.02 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 2 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 1.99 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 1.96 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 1.91 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 2.21 % change on previous year | +16.0% |
| 1993 | 2.39 % change on previous year | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 1995 | 2.2 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 2.23 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 2.15 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 2.08 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 2.01 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 1.9 % change on previous year | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 1.85 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.94 % change on previous year | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 1.91 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 1.74 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 1.7 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 1.69 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 1.69 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.75 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.79 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 1.77 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.72 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 1.68 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 1.68 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.67 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 1.66 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.72 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 1.76 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 1.68 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 1.62 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 1.57 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 1.55 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.19 % change on previous year | 2.15 % change on previous year | 2.24 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.96 % change on previous year | 1.69 % change on previous year | 2.48 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 % change on previous year | 1.67 % change on previous year | 2.22 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.14 % change on previous year | 1.91 % change on previous year | 2.39 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.78 % change on previous year | 1.59 % change on previous year | 1.94 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 % change on previous year | 1.66 % change on previous year | 1.79 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.63 % change on previous year | 1.55 % change on previous year | 1.76 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 3 United Arab Emirates 3.73 % change on previous year compare
- 4 Saudi Arabia 3.68 % change on previous year compare
- 5 Georgia 2.97 % change on previous year compare
- 6 Niger 2.87 % change on previous year compare
- 7 Ukraine 2.74 % change on previous year compare
- 8 Central African Republic 2.63 % change on previous year compare
- 9 Chad 2.57 % change on previous year compare
More agriculture & rural data for Least developed countries
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 337.24 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 769.36 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Rural population 63.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.1% (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6336 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2039 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 277.75 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries was 1.55 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 2.48 % change on previous year in 1974.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Least developed countries rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Least developed countries ranks 6th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.