Rural population growth in Euro area
Euro area: Rural population growth 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.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth 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% |
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
More agriculture & rural data for Euro area
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 278.51 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 80.79 million (2025)
- Rural population 22.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.3% (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2252 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 776.52 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3014 % change on previous year (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 3rd out of 4 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.