Rural population growth (annual %) in China
China: Rural population growth (annual %) was -1.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in China, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in China is -1.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 25.8% on the previous year and up 51.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in China peaked at 3.2% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -4.7%, in 2011.
That places China 181st out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in China, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -0.5% | — |
| 1962 | 3.2% | -810.7% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | -5.7% |
| 1964 | 0.5% | -82.1% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +407.9% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | -7.6% |
| 1968 | 2.8% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 2.9% | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.9% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -9.6% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -15.8% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | -4.1% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -26.7% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -7.2% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -14.8% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -26.8% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -94.2% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | +1298.8% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -54.7% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | +193.4% |
| 1983 | 0.1% | -89.2% |
| 1984 | -0.5% | -559.8% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | -195.7% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -10.6% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +33.2% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +73.2% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | +48.9% |
| 1991 | 0.4% | -76.4% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | +46.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -18.7% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -15.8% |
| 1996 | -1.0% | -393.1% |
| 1997 | -1.1% | +5.4% |
| 1998 | -1.2% | +11.7% |
| 1999 | -1.3% | +10.5% |
| 2000 | -1.8% | +36.5% |
| 2001 | -1.2% | -31.2% |
| 2002 | -1.7% | +34.9% |
| 2003 | -1.8% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | -1.5% | -15.5% |
| 2005 | -1.5% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | -1.8% | +19.2% |
| 2007 | -2.3% | +24.5% |
| 2008 | -1.5% | -32.8% |
| 2009 | -2.1% | +35.3% |
| 2010 | -1.3% | -39.6% |
| 2011 | -4.7% | +273.4% |
| 2012 | -2.0% | -57.6% |
| 2013 | -2.3% | +17.4% |
| 2014 | -2.2% | -7.0% |
| 2015 | -3.1% | +40.2% |
| 2016 | -3.0% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | -2.9% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | -2.8% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | -2.8% | +3.1% |
| 2020 | -2.0% | -30.7% |
| 2021 | -3.2% | +65.1% |
| 2022 | -1.4% | -56.0% |
| 2023 | -1.0% | -29.7% |
| 2024 | -1.2% | +17.9% |
| 2025 | -1.5% | +25.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -1.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.6%, 2.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- China's -1.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +1298.8% | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| 1962 | +810.7% | -0.5% | 3.2% |
| 1984 | -559.8% | 0.1% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | +407.9% | 0.5% | 2.8% |
| 1996 | -393.1% | 0.3% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | -273.4% | -1.3% | -4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | -0.5% | 3.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.8% | 0.1% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5% | -0.5% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -1.3% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.7% | -2.3% | -1.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.7% | -4.7% | -1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.7% | -3.2% | -1.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 178 British Virgin Islands -1.4% compare
- 179 El Salvador -1.4% compare
- 180 Latvia -1.5% compare
- 182 Costa Rica -1.6% compare
- 183 Peru -1.7% compare
- 184 Qatar -1.7% compare
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in China?
- Rural population growth in China was -1.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.2% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.7% in 2011.
- How does China rank for rural population growth?
- China ranks 181st out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.