Rural population growth (annual %) in Gambia
Gambia: Rural population growth (annual %) was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Gambia, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in Gambia is 0.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 69.1% on the previous year and down 76.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Gambia peaked at 3.4% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -0.0%, in 2000.
Gambia ranks 97th of 210 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Gambia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.8% | — |
| 1962 | 2.8% | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 2.7% | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 2.6% | -6.7% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | -8.7% |
| 1966 | 2.1% | -8.7% |
| 1967 | 2.0% | -6.2% |
| 1968 | 1.9% | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 1.8% | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 1.8% | -3.6% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | -12.5% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | -20.7% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | -13.7% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | +7.0% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +15.9% |
| 1981 | 1.4% | +16.9% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +25.0% |
| 1983 | 2.3% | +30.7% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +18.8% |
| 1985 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 3.4% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 3.4% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | -8.8% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -20.5% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | -33.3% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -38.8% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -39.8% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | -48.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -63.4% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -92.4% |
| 2000 | -0.0% | -257.8% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -680.0% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +277.5% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +121.1% |
| 2004 | 0.9% | +39.3% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +14.2% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +14.5% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -8.1% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 1.0% | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -9.1% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 0.9% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 0.9% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -69.1% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 0.3% is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.9%, 14% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 0.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.2%, 23% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Gambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +680.0% | -0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2002 | +277.5% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2000 | -257.8% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | +121.1% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| 1999 | -92.4% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2025 | -69.1% | 0.9% | 0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 1.2% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.5% | 0.0% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | -0.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 94 Brunei 0.3% compare
- 95 Channel Islands 0.3% compare
- 96 Azerbaijan 0.3% compare
- 98 New Zealand 0.3% compare
- 99 Palestine 0.3% compare
- 100 New Caledonia 0.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Gambia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1584 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2247 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 25.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 219.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2766 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Gambia?
- Rural population growth in Gambia was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1989.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0% in 2000.
- How does Gambia rank for rural population growth?
- Gambia ranks 97th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia 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.