Rural population growth in Greenland
Greenland: Rural population growth was -2.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Greenland, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Greenland recorded -2.2% for rural population growth in 2025.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Greenland peaked at 1.5% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -4.1%, in 1964.
That places Greenland 195th out of 209 countries 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 in Greenland, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -0.1% | — |
| 1962 | -1.8% | +1542.4% |
| 1963 | -3.1% | +70.1% |
| 1964 | -4.1% | +32.8% |
| 1965 | -1.9% | -53.9% |
| 1966 | -0.9% | -54.1% |
| 1967 | 0.2% | -127.7% |
| 1968 | 0.8% | +219.1% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | +42.8% |
| 1970 | 1.5% | +34.1% |
| 1971 | 0.3% | -77.7% |
| 1972 | 1.3% | +291.9% |
| 1973 | 0.6% | -50.5% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | -53.3% |
| 1975 | -0.6% | -295.0% |
| 1976 | -0.8% | +34.7% |
| 1977 | -2.1% | +165.4% |
| 1978 | -1.4% | -33.6% |
| 1979 | -1.8% | +32.9% |
| 1980 | -1.1% | -38.0% |
| 1981 | -0.1% | -95.5% |
| 1982 | -0.6% | +1020.1% |
| 1983 | -0.5% | -8.5% |
| 1984 | -1.1% | +106.6% |
| 1985 | -1.4% | +30.4% |
| 1986 | -2.2% | +58.1% |
| 1987 | -0.4% | -79.7% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | -255.8% |
| 1989 | -0.0% | -106.4% |
| 1990 | -0.6% | +1304.7% |
| 1991 | -1.2% | +90.3% |
| 1992 | -1.0% | -17.3% |
| 1993 | -1.0% | +5.7% |
| 1994 | -1.1% | +10.0% |
| 1995 | -0.8% | -26.9% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -115.8% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | +7.0% |
| 1998 | -0.1% | -146.6% |
| 1999 | -0.2% | +272.0% |
| 2000 | -1.4% | +462.2% |
| 2001 | -1.5% | +8.4% |
| 2002 | -1.2% | -20.2% |
| 2003 | -1.3% | +5.4% |
| 2004 | -1.0% | -23.6% |
| 2005 | -0.7% | -30.7% |
| 2006 | -1.2% | +77.4% |
| 2007 | -2.5% | +110.7% |
| 2008 | -2.9% | +17.3% |
| 2009 | -1.4% | -50.8% |
| 2010 | -2.3% | +58.2% |
| 2011 | -1.0% | -57.4% |
| 2012 | -2.5% | +155.5% |
| 2013 | -3.8% | +54.8% |
| 2014 | -2.4% | -36.6% |
| 2015 | -2.9% | +20.3% |
| 2016 | -1.2% | -60.1% |
| 2017 | -1.2% | +5.7% |
| 2018 | -2.7% | +122.3% |
| 2019 | -1.9% | -30.8% |
| 2020 | -1.8% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | -1.6% | -11.7% |
| 2022 | -2.1% | +32.8% |
| 2023 | -1.8% | -14.8% |
| 2024 | -2.2% | +24.6% |
| 2025 | -2.2% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.1% | -4.1% | 1.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.3% | -2.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.7% | -2.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.6% | -1.2% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.5% | -2.9% | -0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.2% | -3.8% | -1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.9% | -2.2% | -1.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
More agriculture & rural data for Greenland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.03 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture share gdp 16.56 (2023)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 16.56 (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1143 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2018)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2018)
- Rural population 11.4% (2025)
- Rural population 6,494 (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 550.81 million current US$ (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1656 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Greenland?
- Rural population growth in Greenland was -2.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.1% in 1964.
- How does Greenland rank for rural population growth?
- Greenland ranks 195th out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Greenland 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.