Rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Rural population growth was -1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific is -1.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 24.2% on the previous year and up 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 2.7% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -3.0%, in 2011.
East Asia & Pacific ranks 44th 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 in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.2% | — |
| 1962 | 2.7% | +1183.7% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -64.5% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | +156.6% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 2.3% | -6.7% |
| 1968 | 2.4% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 2.5% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 2.2% | -10.0% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -13.4% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 1.6% | -19.4% |
| 1976 | 1.4% | -10.4% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | -9.6% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -18.6% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | -60.0% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | +119.7% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | -28.7% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +67.6% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -54.5% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -84.8% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +819.3% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -11.8% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +38.6% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 1.3% | +34.4% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -62.5% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | +16.9% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -15.2% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -7.8% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -15.1% |
| 1996 | -0.6% | -247.5% |
| 1997 | -0.6% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | +16.5% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | +18.8% |
| 2000 | -1.1% | +40.0% |
| 2001 | -0.8% | -29.5% |
| 2002 | -1.2% | +49.5% |
| 2003 | -1.3% | +12.1% |
| 2004 | -1.2% | -10.6% |
| 2005 | -1.2% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | -1.3% | +10.7% |
| 2007 | -1.6% | +19.5% |
| 2008 | -1.1% | -31.8% |
| 2009 | -1.4% | +33.6% |
| 2010 | -0.8% | -40.1% |
| 2011 | -3.0% | +250.7% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | -58.8% |
| 2013 | -1.4% | +16.2% |
| 2014 | -1.3% | -6.7% |
| 2015 | -1.9% | +41.0% |
| 2016 | -1.9% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | -1.8% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | -2.0% | +14.5% |
| 2019 | -1.8% | -12.3% |
| 2020 | -1.3% | -29.9% |
| 2021 | -2.1% | +65.5% |
| 2022 | -1.0% | -50.1% |
| 2023 | -0.7% | -28.3% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | +9.8% |
| 2025 | -1.0% | +24.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.1% | 0.2% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.7% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.2% | -1.6% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.7% | -3.0% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.2% | -2.1% | -0.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 41 Egypt 1.4% compare
- 42 Papua New Guinea 1.3% compare
- 43 Malta 1.3% compare
- 44 Burundi 1.3% compare
- 45 Comoros 1.2% compare
- 46 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
- 47 Côte d'Ivoire 1.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for East Asia & Pacific
- Rural population, per capita 0.3523 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.86 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 5.5% (2025)
- Rural population 842.28 million (2025)
- Rural population 35.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0553 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific?
- Rural population growth in East Asia & Pacific 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?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.0% in 2011.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for rural population growth?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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.