Rural population growth (annual %) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries): Rural population growth (annual %) was -1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded -1.0% for rural population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of down 23.6% on the previous year and up 47.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 3.0% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -3.1%, in 2011.
East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 46th of 47 groups on this measure, 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 East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.3% | — |
| 1962 | 3.0% | +1024.3% |
| 1963 | 2.9% | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 1.0% | -64.3% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | +155.2% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 2.6% | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 2.7% | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 2.7% | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 2.1% | -12.6% |
| 1974 | 2.2% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -21.3% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -11.5% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -8.7% |
| 1978 | 1.1% | -19.2% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | -58.3% |
| 1980 | 1.0% | +110.9% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -28.1% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +65.9% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -53.7% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -79.7% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | +597.0% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | +35.3% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | +31.3% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -61.0% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | +13.3% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -17.2% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | -8.3% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -13.9% |
| 1996 | -0.6% | -242.3% |
| 1997 | -0.6% | +7.6% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | +15.7% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | +15.7% |
| 2000 | -1.2% | +40.8% |
| 2001 | -0.8% | -33.5% |
| 2002 | -1.1% | +40.1% |
| 2003 | -1.2% | +8.2% |
| 2004 | -1.0% | -15.4% |
| 2005 | -1.0% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | -1.2% | +17.1% |
| 2007 | -1.5% | +22.0% |
| 2008 | -1.0% | -33.7% |
| 2009 | -1.4% | +41.4% |
| 2010 | -0.8% | -40.5% |
| 2011 | -3.1% | +271.2% |
| 2012 | -1.3% | -58.6% |
| 2013 | -1.5% | +17.4% |
| 2014 | -1.4% | -6.5% |
| 2015 | -2.0% | +40.3% |
| 2016 | -1.9% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | -1.9% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | -2.1% | +14.9% |
| 2019 | -1.9% | -12.5% |
| 2020 | -1.3% | -30.3% |
| 2021 | -2.2% | +65.2% |
| 2022 | -1.1% | -50.8% |
| 2023 | -0.8% | -28.0% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | +9.2% |
| 2025 | -1.0% | +23.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +1024.3% | 0.3% | 3.0% |
| 1985 | +597.0% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| 2011 | -271.2% | -0.8% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | -242.3% | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | +155.2% | 1.0% | 2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | 0.3% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.8% | 0.5% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.1% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -1.5% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.8% | -3.1% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.2% | -2.2% | -0.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
More agriculture & rural data for East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.2% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3797 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.72 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 804.03 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 7.4% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 812.8 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population 38.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) was -1.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.1% in 2011.
- How does East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for rural population growth?
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.
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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.