Rural population growth (annual %) in Iran
Iran: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Iran, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in Iran stood at -0.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 47.0% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Iran peaked at 3.8% in 1982 and was at its lowest, -1.9%, in 1994.
Iran ranks 147th 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 Iran, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.0% | — |
| 1962 | 2.0% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 2.0% | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | +12.4% |
| 1966 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 1967 | 1.2% | -46.8% |
| 1968 | 1.5% | +30.2% |
| 1969 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 1.5% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 1.3% | -6.6% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 1.3% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | +31.3% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -30.1% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | +53.0% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +8.0% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +8.1% |
| 1981 | 3.8% | +73.6% |
| 1982 | 3.8% | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | -37.3% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -6.4% |
| 1985 | 2.1% | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +13.8% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -13.2% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 1.7% | -16.5% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 1.7% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | -0.3% | -114.9% |
| 1993 | -1.7% | +559.6% |
| 1994 | -1.9% | +14.3% |
| 1995 | -1.1% | -44.0% |
| 1996 | -0.5% | -48.8% |
| 1997 | -1.5% | +181.5% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | -52.2% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | -0.7% | -13.6% |
| 2001 | -0.6% | -15.9% |
| 2002 | -1.2% | +121.7% |
| 2003 | -0.9% | -27.2% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -118.7% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +90.1% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +143.3% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -92.6% |
| 2008 | -0.6% | -1210.7% |
| 2009 | -0.8% | +21.1% |
| 2010 | -0.8% | +7.7% |
| 2011 | -0.8% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | -0.7% | -12.2% |
| 2013 | -0.6% | -12.3% |
| 2014 | -0.6% | -5.9% |
| 2015 | -0.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | -0.6% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | -0.6% | +5.0% |
| 2018 | -0.3% | -46.6% |
| 2019 | -0.5% | +69.7% |
| 2020 | -0.8% | +59.6% |
| 2021 | -0.8% | -4.7% |
| 2022 | -0.2% | -70.9% |
| 2023 | -0.3% | +7.9% |
| 2024 | -0.4% | +73.2% |
| 2025 | -0.6% | +47.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's -0.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.6%, 1.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iran's -0.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.8%. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Iran 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 | -1210.7% | 0.1% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | -559.6% | -0.3% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | -181.5% | -0.5% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | +143.3% | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| 2002 | -121.7% | -0.6% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 1.7% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.5% | -1.9% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.3% | -1.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.6% | -0.8% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5% | -0.8% | -0.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More agriculture & rural data for Iran
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -25.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1059 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 415.77 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6359 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2262 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 10.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 10.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 3.0% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Iran?
- Rural population growth in Iran was -0.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 1982.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.9% in 1994.
- How does Iran rank for rural population growth?
- Iran ranks 147th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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.