Rural population growth (annual %) by country
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population...
Countries reporting
209
Highest
3.8%
Oman
Lowest
-172.3%
Hong Kong, China
Median
0.1%
Years covered
65
1961–2025
Data points
16,647
What the numbers show
Rural population growth (annual %) is currently reported for 209 countries. The highest value is 3.8% in Oman; the lowest is -172.3% in Hong Kong, China.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.1%, and the mean is -2.3%.
Over the past decade 59 countries rose and 150 fell. The largest increase was in Azerbaijan (up 934.4%), and the largest decrease in Kuwait (down 10,465.1%).
Rural population growth: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oman | 3.8% | 2025 | up 42.9% | volatile |
| 2 | Syrian Arab Republic | 3.7% | 2025 | up 215.0% | volatile |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 3.7% | 2025 | down 13.2% | volatile |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3.6% | 2025 | down 13.3% | volatile |
| 5 | Georgia | 2.9% | 2025 | up 533.0% | volatile |
| 6 | Niger | 2.8% | 2025 | down 22.1% | rising |
| 7 | Ukraine | 2.7% | 2025 | up 464.1% | volatile |
| 8 | Central African Republic | 2.6% | 2025 | up 658.6% | volatile |
| 9 | Chad | 2.5% | 2025 | down 10.3% | rising |
| 10 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 2.5% | 2025 | down 4.2% | flat |
| 11 | Yemen | 2.5% | 2025 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 12 | Afghanistan | 2.4% | 2025 | down 11.4% | volatile |
| 13 | Sudan | 2.3% | 2025 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 14 | Vanuatu | 2.2% | 2025 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 15 | Somalia | 2.2% | 2025 | up 176.4% | volatile |
| 16 | Malawi | 2.2% | 2025 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 17 | Mali | 2.0% | 2025 | down 14.4% | rising |
| 18 | Eritrea | 2.0% | 2025 | up 385.9% | volatile |
| 19 | Cameroon | 2.0% | 2025 | down 18.7% | rising |
| 20 | Zambia | 1.9% | 2025 | down 20.4% | rising |
| 21 | Iraq | 1.9% | 2025 | up 2.1% | volatile |
| 22 | Ethiopia | 1.9% | 2025 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 23 | Tajikistan | 1.9% | 2025 | down 30.7% | falling |
| 24 | Uzbekistan | 1.8% | 2025 | down 15.6% | volatile |
| 25 | Uganda | 1.7% | 2025 | down 14.8% | falling |
| 26 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 1.7% | 2025 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 27 | Belize | 1.7% | 2025 | down 32.7% | falling |
| 28 | Congo | 1.7% | 2025 | down 17.6% | rising |
| 29 | Madagascar | 1.7% | 2025 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 30 | South Sudan | 1.6% | 2025 | up 212.0% | volatile |
| 31 | Equatorial Guinea | 1.6% | 2025 | up 124.8% | volatile |
| 32 | Kyrgyzstan | 1.6% | 2025 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 33 | Mozambique | 1.6% | 2025 | down 36.4% | volatile |
| 34 | Turkmenistan | 1.6% | 2025 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 35 | Guinea | 1.6% | 2025 | down 27.6% | rising |
| 36 | Kenya | 1.5% | 2025 | down 36.9% | falling |
| 37 | Liechtenstein | 1.4% | 2025 | up 126.9% | volatile |
| 38 | Solomon Islands | 1.4% | 2025 | down 44.5% | falling |
| 39 | Armenia | 1.4% | 2025 | up 364.6% | volatile |
| 40 | Burkina Faso | 1.4% | 2025 | down 47.5% | rising |
| 41 | Egypt | 1.4% | 2025 | down 38.5% | falling |
| 42 | Papua New Guinea | 1.3% | 2025 | down 46.3% | rising |
| 43 | Malta | 1.3% | 2025 | down 34.7% | volatile |
| 44 | Burundi | 1.3% | 2025 | up 2.0% | volatile |
| 45 | Comoros | 1.2% | 2025 | down 23.0% | falling |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.2% | 2025 | down 36.6% | volatile |
| 47 | Côte d'Ivoire | 1.1% | 2025 | down 42.6% | falling |
| 48 | Togo | 1.1% | 2025 | down 4.7% | volatile |
| 49 | Namibia | 1.1% | 2025 | down 19.8% | volatile |
| 50 | Senegal | 1.1% | 2025 | down 39.5% | falling |
| 51 | Timor-Leste | 1.1% | 2025 | down 45.3% | volatile |
| 52 | Djibouti | 1.0% | 2025 | down 21.9% | volatile |
| 53 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1.0% | 2025 | down 26.5% | volatile |
| 54 | Sierra Leone | 1.0% | 2025 | down 36.8% | volatile |
| 55 | Pakistan | 1.0% | 2025 | down 4.5% | falling |
| 56 | Ireland | 1.0% | 2025 | up 42.6% | volatile |
| 57 | Iceland | 0.9% | 2025 | up 233.9% | volatile |
| 58 | Zimbabwe | 0.9% | 2025 | up 18.3% | volatile |
| 59 | Cyprus | 0.9% | 2025 | down 48.9% | volatile |
| 60 | Nicaragua | 0.9% | 2025 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 61 | Liberia | 0.9% | 2025 | down 14.7% | volatile |
| 62 | Aruba | 0.8% | 2025 | down 47.4% | volatile |
| 63 | Libya | 0.8% | 2025 | down 74.5% | volatile |
| 64 | South Africa | 0.8% | 2025 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 65 | Cambodia | 0.8% | 2025 | up 146.0% | volatile |
| 66 | Suriname | 0.8% | 2025 | down 35.4% | volatile |
| 67 | Seychelles | 0.8% | 2025 | down 60.4% | volatile |
| 68 | Panama | 0.8% | 2025 | down 49.1% | volatile |
| 69 | Guatemala | 0.7% | 2025 | down 38.6% | volatile |
| 70 | Israel | 0.7% | 2025 | down 66.9% | volatile |
| 71 | Rwanda | 0.7% | 2025 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 72 | Luxembourg | 0.7% | 2025 | up 120.0% | volatile |
| 73 | Benin | 0.7% | 2025 | down 61.9% | rising |
| 74 | American Samoa | 0.7% | 2025 | down 49.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Mongolia | 0.6% | 2025 | down 71.8% | volatile |
| 76 | Portugal | 0.6% | 2025 | up 244.7% | volatile |
| 77 | Andorra | 0.6% | 2025 | up 130.9% | volatile |
| 78 | Samoa | 0.6% | 2025 | down 39.5% | volatile |
| 79 | Australia | 0.6% | 2025 | up 125.1% | volatile |
| 80 | Guyana | 0.6% | 2025 | down 4.8% | volatile |
| 81 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.5% | 2025 | down 35.8% | volatile |
| 82 | Mauritania | 0.5% | 2025 | down 7.5% | volatile |
| 83 | Honduras | 0.5% | 2025 | down 36.1% | falling |
| 84 | Ghana | 0.5% | 2025 | down 56.9% | falling |
| 85 | Myanmar | 0.4% | 2025 | down 31.8% | falling |
| 86 | Micronesia (Federated States of) | 0.4% | 2025 | up 51.1% | volatile |
| 87 | Ecuador | 0.4% | 2025 | down 67.9% | falling |
| 88 | Eswatini | 0.4% | 2025 | up 64.0% | volatile |
| 89 | Dominican Republic | 0.4% | 2025 | down 68.8% | volatile |
| 90 | India | 0.4% | 2025 | down 43.8% | falling |
| 91 | Bahamas | 0.4% | 2025 | down 64.6% | volatile |
| 92 | Kazakhstan | 0.4% | 2025 | up 67.8% | volatile |
| 93 | Bangladesh | 0.4% | 2025 | down 6.4% | volatile |
| 94 | Brunei Darussalam | 0.3% | 2025 | down 81.2% | volatile |
| 95 | Azerbaijan | 0.3% | 2025 | up 934.4% | volatile |
| 96 | Gambia | 0.3% | 2025 | down 76.9% | volatile |
| 97 | New Zealand | 0.3% | 2025 | down 93.8% | volatile |
| 98 | Palestine, State of | 0.3% | 2025 | down 75.9% | volatile |
| 99 | New Caledonia | 0.2% | 2025 | down 59.4% | volatile |
| 100 | Saint Lucia | 0.2% | 2025 | up 165.9% | volatile |
| 101 | Angola | 0.2% | 2025 | down 85.3% | falling |
| 102 | Belgium | 0.2% | 2025 | up 119.0% | rising |
| 103 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 0.2% | 2025 | down 47.3% | volatile |
| 104 | United States of America | 0.2% | 2025 | down 83.0% | volatile |
| 105 | French Polynesia | 0.1% | 2025 | down 66.5% | volatile |
| 106 | Faroe Islands | 0.1% | 2025 | down 84.1% | volatile |
| 107 | Philippines | 0.1% | 2025 | up 123.1% | volatile |
| 108 | Botswana | 0.1% | 2025 | down 84.0% | volatile |
| 109 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 0.1% | 2025 | down 92.5% | volatile |
| 110 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 0.1% | 2025 | down 92.4% | volatile |
| 111 | Viet Nam | 0.0% | 2025 | down 91.9% | volatile |
| 112 | France | 0.0% | 2025 | up 102.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Morocco | 0.0% | 2025 | down 91.1% | volatile |
| 114 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0.0% | 2025 | up 142.2% | volatile |
| 115 | Spain | 0.0% | 2025 | up 101.7% | volatile |
| 116 | Isle of Man | 0.0% | 2025 | up 101.9% | volatile |
| 117 | Trinidad and Tobago | -0.1% | 2025 | down 118.8% | volatile |
| 118 | Canada | -0.1% | 2025 | down 114.0% | volatile |
| 119 | Guam | -0.1% | 2025 | up 77.1% | volatile |
| 120 | Grenada | -0.1% | 2025 | down 120.7% | volatile |
| 121 | Nigeria | -0.1% | 2025 | down 116.8% | falling |
| 122 | Slovakia | -0.2% | 2025 | down 140.9% | volatile |
| 123 | Republic of Korea | -0.2% | 2025 | down 115.5% | volatile |
| 124 | Haiti | -0.2% | 2025 | down 220.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Romania | -0.2% | 2025 | up 16.3% | volatile |
| 126 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | -0.2% | 2025 | up 40.5% | volatile |
| 127 | Mauritius | -0.2% | 2025 | down 160.3% | volatile |
| 128 | Colombia | -0.2% | 2025 | down 134.5% | volatile |
| 129 | Montenegro | -0.3% | 2025 | down 106.5% | volatile |
| 130 | Curaçao | -0.3% | 2025 | down 124.6% | volatile |
| 131 | Italy | -0.3% | 2025 | down 26.8% | volatile |
| 132 | Barbados | -0.3% | 2025 | down 254.9% | volatile |
| 133 | Slovenia | -0.4% | 2025 | up 93.5% | volatile |
| 134 | Tonga | -0.4% | 2025 | down 19.9% | volatile |
| 135 | Croatia | -0.4% | 2025 | up 69.6% | volatile |
| 136 | Czechia | -0.5% | 2025 | down 208.1% | volatile |
| 137 | Austria | -0.5% | 2025 | down 171.9% | volatile |
| 138 | Estonia | -0.5% | 2025 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 139 | Maldives | -0.5% | 2025 | down 118.5% | volatile |
| 140 | Palau | -0.5% | 2025 | down 126.1% | volatile |
| 141 | Finland | -0.5% | 2025 | up 28.9% | volatile |
| 142 | Paraguay | -0.6% | 2025 | down 330.7% | volatile |
| 143 | Tunisia | -0.6% | 2025 | down 180.6% | volatile |
| 144 | Mexico | -0.6% | 2025 | down 577.4% | volatile |
| 145 | Poland | -0.6% | 2025 | down 447.3% | volatile |
| 146 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | -0.6% | 2025 | down 9.0% | volatile |
| 147 | Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | -0.6% | 2025 | down 498.0% | volatile |
| 148 | Cuba | -0.7% | 2025 | down 215.4% | volatile |
| 149 | Russian Federation | -0.7% | 2025 | down 555.2% | volatile |
| 150 | Argentina | -0.7% | 2025 | down 1,010.3% | rising |
| 151 | Lesotho | -0.7% | 2025 | up 32.9% | volatile |
| 152 | Fiji | -0.7% | 2025 | up 36.7% | volatile |
| 153 | Germany | -0.7% | 2025 | down 388.2% | volatile |
| 154 | Gabon | -0.7% | 2025 | up 0.2% | volatile |
| 155 | San Marino | -0.7% | 2025 | down 198.8% | volatile |
| 156 | Norway | -0.8% | 2025 | up 66.5% | volatile |
| 157 | Indonesia | -0.8% | 2025 | down 159.3% | volatile |
| 158 | Nepal | -0.8% | 2025 | down 44.2% | volatile |
| 159 | Denmark | -0.8% | 2025 | down 323.6% | volatile |
| 160 | Lithuania | -0.8% | 2025 | up 29.3% | volatile |
| 161 | Bhutan | -0.9% | 2025 | down 792.5% | volatile |
| 162 | Switzerland | -0.9% | 2025 | up 62.2% | volatile |
| 163 | Algeria | -0.9% | 2025 | down 1,234.9% | volatile |
| 164 | Malaysia | -0.9% | 2025 | down 4,369.2% | volatile |
| 165 | Sri Lanka | -0.9% | 2025 | down 232.2% | volatile |
| 166 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | -0.9% | 2025 | down 22.2% | volatile |
| 167 | Bulgaria | -1.0% | 2025 | up 26.5% | volatile |
| 168 | Türkiye | -1.0% | 2025 | up 95.8% | volatile |
| 169 | Greece | -1.0% | 2025 | up 36.0% | volatile |
| 170 | Kiribati | -1.0% | 2025 | down 831.7% | volatile |
| 171 | North Macedonia | -1.1% | 2025 | down 16.1% | volatile |
| 172 | Hungary | -1.2% | 2025 | down 23.8% | volatile |
| 173 | Chile | -1.2% | 2025 | down 548.2% | volatile |
| 174 | Serbia | -1.2% | 2025 | down 7.3% | volatile |
| 175 | Jamaica | -1.3% | 2025 | down 201.0% | volatile |
| 176 | Uruguay | -1.3% | 2025 | up 9.8% | volatile |
| 177 | British Virgin Islands | -1.4% | 2025 | down 143.4% | volatile |
| 178 | El Salvador | -1.4% | 2025 | up 35.9% | volatile |
| 179 | Latvia | -1.5% | 2025 | down 61.3% | volatile |
| 180 | China | -1.5% | 2025 | up 51.1% | volatile |
| 181 | Costa Rica | -1.6% | 2025 | down 50.9% | volatile |
| 182 | Peru | -1.7% | 2025 | up 29.4% | volatile |
| 183 | Qatar | -1.7% | 2025 | down 133.5% | volatile |
| 184 | Sweden | -1.8% | 2025 | down 10.3% | volatile |
| 185 | United States Virgin Islands | -1.8% | 2025 | down 31.8% | volatile |
| 186 | Japan | -1.9% | 2025 | down 54.4% | volatile |
| 187 | Albania | -2.0% | 2025 | up 21.5% | volatile |
| 188 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -2.0% | 2025 | up 8.5% | volatile |
| 189 | Brazil | -2.0% | 2025 | down 94.6% | volatile |
| 190 | Lebanon | -2.1% | 2025 | down 1,388.5% | volatile |
| 191 | Puerto Rico | -2.1% | 2025 | down 23.3% | volatile |
| 192 | Republic of Moldova | -2.1% | 2025 | down 144.3% | volatile |
| 193 | Belarus | -2.2% | 2025 | down 98.9% | falling |
| 194 | Dominica | -2.2% | 2025 | down 83.8% | volatile |
| 195 | Greenland | -2.2% | 2025 | up 24.7% | volatile |
| 196 | Kosovo | -2.3% | 2025 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 196 | Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) | -2.3% | 2025 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 198 | Thailand | -2.5% | 2025 | down 245.3% | volatile |
| 199 | Northern Mariana Islands | -3.0% | 2025 | down 40.2% | volatile |
| 200 | Turks and Caicos Islands | -3.3% | 2025 | down 425.2% | volatile |
| 201 | Cape Verde | -3.3% | 2025 | down 1.7% | volatile |
| 202 | Tuvalu | -3.7% | 2025 | down 120.0% | volatile |
| 203 | Jordan | -4.0% | 2025 | up 53.3% | volatile |
| 204 | Marshall Islands | -5.2% | 2025 | down 44.2% | volatile |
| 205 | Netherlands | -6.6% | 2025 | down 64.3% | volatile |
| 206 | Bahrain | -71.6% | 2009 | down 2,314.4% | volatile |
| 207 | Macau (China) | -120.4% | 2000 | down 541.1% | volatile |
| 208 | Kuwait | -146.8% | 2004 | down 10,465.1% | volatile |
| 209 | Hong Kong, China | -172.3% | 1995 | down 5,383.2% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income 2.0%
- Channel Islands 0.3%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 1.8%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 1.8%
- Euro area -0.3%
- Arab World 1.6%
- Pre-demographic dividend 1.6%
- Least developed countries 1.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 1.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 1.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 1.5%
- IDA only 1.5%
About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. 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.