Rural population growth (annual %) in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Rural population growth (annual %) was -1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in North Macedonia, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in North Macedonia stood at -1.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in North Macedonia peaked at 1.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -3.2%, in 1993.
That places North Macedonia 172nd out of 210 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 (annual %) in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -0.4% | — |
| 1962 | -0.9% | +99.0% |
| 1963 | -1.1% | +23.1% |
| 1964 | -0.9% | -15.6% |
| 1965 | -1.0% | +11.1% |
| 1966 | -1.0% | -1.6% |
| 1967 | -0.9% | -7.6% |
| 1968 | -0.8% | -16.0% |
| 1969 | -0.6% | -26.5% |
| 1970 | -0.3% | -45.2% |
| 1971 | -0.1% | -81.5% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -217.5% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | +119.4% |
| 1974 | 0.2% | +54.8% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | +40.0% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | +20.1% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -10.8% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -85.6% |
| 1983 | -0.2% | -603.8% |
| 1984 | -0.3% | +10.3% |
| 1985 | -0.3% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | -0.3% | +7.6% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | +5.3% |
| 1988 | -0.3% | +10.7% |
| 1989 | -0.4% | +29.5% |
| 1990 | -0.6% | +42.5% |
| 1991 | -1.4% | +141.9% |
| 1992 | -2.7% | +83.3% |
| 1993 | -3.2% | +21.9% |
| 1994 | -1.7% | -48.1% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | -121.7% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +139.4% |
| 1997 | -0.6% | -163.4% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | -296.3% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | +33.6% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | -11.7% |
| 2002 | -0.2% | -114.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -190.8% |
| 2004 | -0.3% | -283.0% |
| 2005 | -0.6% | +69.8% |
| 2006 | -0.6% | +6.3% |
| 2007 | -0.6% | +8.4% |
| 2008 | -0.7% | +7.4% |
| 2009 | -0.8% | +16.8% |
| 2010 | -0.9% | +6.2% |
| 2011 | -0.7% | -13.3% |
| 2012 | -0.8% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | +8.3% |
| 2014 | -0.8% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | -0.9% | +12.9% |
| 2016 | -1.1% | +18.4% |
| 2017 | -1.3% | +19.3% |
| 2018 | -1.5% | +18.9% |
| 2019 | -1.9% | +21.1% |
| 2020 | -2.4% | +30.4% |
| 2021 | -2.4% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | -1.0% | -58.2% |
| 2023 | -1.0% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | -1.0% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | -1.1% | +4.3% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's -1.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.6%, 1.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's -1.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.4%, 2.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in North Macedonia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | -603.8% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | +296.3% | -0.6% | 1.1% |
| 2004 | -283.0% | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | +217.5% | -0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2003 | +190.8% | -0.2% | 0.2% |
| 1997 | -163.4% | 0.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.8% | -1.1% | -0.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | -0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1% | -0.4% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.6% | -3.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1% | -0.8% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.1% | -1.9% | -0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.5% | -2.4% | -1.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
More agriculture & rural data for North Macedonia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0598 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 626.97 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3711 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in North Macedonia?
- Rural population growth in North Macedonia was -1.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.2% in 1993.
- How does North Macedonia rank for rural population growth?
- North Macedonia ranks 172nd out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.