Rural population growth (annual %) in Euro area
Euro area: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Euro area, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Euro area recorded -0.3% for rural population growth in 2025.
The figure is down 73.7% on the previous year and up 51.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Euro area peaked at 0.1% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -1.4%, in 1965.
That places Euro area 36th out of 47 groups 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 Euro area, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -0.6% | — |
| 1962 | -0.7% | +20.9% |
| 1963 | -1.0% | +28.4% |
| 1964 | -1.3% | +38.1% |
| 1965 | -1.4% | +6.2% |
| 1966 | -1.3% | -6.0% |
| 1967 | -1.2% | -5.5% |
| 1968 | -1.0% | -16.6% |
| 1969 | -0.9% | -11.2% |
| 1970 | -0.9% | -6.8% |
| 1971 | -0.7% | -18.3% |
| 1972 | -0.5% | -29.5% |
| 1973 | -0.5% | -3.7% |
| 1974 | -0.6% | +16.0% |
| 1975 | -0.2% | -62.7% |
| 1976 | -0.3% | +28.0% |
| 1977 | -0.4% | +33.4% |
| 1978 | -0.3% | -1.6% |
| 1979 | -0.3% | -6.5% |
| 1980 | -0.2% | -28.6% |
| 1981 | -0.3% | +44.2% |
| 1982 | -0.4% | +31.6% |
| 1983 | -0.4% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | -0.5% | +12.7% |
| 1985 | -0.3% | -37.9% |
| 1986 | -0.4% | +21.1% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -5.6% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | -15.1% |
| 1989 | -0.2% | -28.7% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -64.1% |
| 1991 | -0.1% | +32.3% |
| 1992 | -0.1% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | -0.1% | +53.6% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | +86.0% |
| 1995 | -0.3% | +5.7% |
| 1996 | -0.5% | +92.7% |
| 1997 | -0.8% | +49.3% |
| 1998 | -0.5% | -35.8% |
| 1999 | -0.3% | -34.8% |
| 2000 | -0.5% | +63.3% |
| 2001 | -0.8% | +41.0% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | -58.5% |
| 2003 | -0.1% | -61.9% |
| 2004 | -0.1% | -51.2% |
| 2005 | -0.1% | +112.8% |
| 2006 | -0.2% | +34.4% |
| 2007 | -0.0% | -93.8% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -680.7% |
| 2009 | -0.2% | -432.4% |
| 2010 | -0.4% | +100.6% |
| 2011 | -0.7% | +82.5% |
| 2012 | -0.5% | -37.2% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | +67.1% |
| 2014 | -0.6% | -19.0% |
| 2015 | -0.6% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | -0.9% | +37.9% |
| 2017 | -0.4% | -56.8% |
| 2018 | -0.5% | +39.9% |
| 2019 | -0.5% | -6.1% |
| 2020 | -0.3% | -30.3% |
| 2021 | -0.4% | +24.0% |
| 2022 | -0.3% | -37.7% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -58.1% |
| 2024 | -0.2% | +57.9% |
| 2025 | -0.3% | +73.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Euro area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +680.7% | -0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2009 | -432.4% | 0.1% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.1% | -1.4% | -0.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.5% | -0.9% | -0.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.3% | -0.5% | -0.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.3% | -0.8% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2% | -0.8% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.6% | -0.9% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3% | -0.4% | -0.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Euro area
- 33 Mozambique 1.6% compare
- 34 Turkmenistan 1.6% compare
- 35 Guinea 1.6% compare
- 36 Kenya 1.5% compare
- 37 Liechtenstein 1.4% compare
- 38 Solomon Islands 1.4% compare
- 39 Armenia 1.4% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Euro area
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3014 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2252 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.3% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 278.51 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 80.79 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 776.52 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population 22.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Euro area?
- Rural population growth in Euro area was -0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Euro area?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 2008.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Euro area?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.4% in 1965.
- How does Euro area rank for rural population growth?
- Euro area ranks 36th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Euro area?
- Over the last ten years it is up 51.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Euro area 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.