Rural population growth (annual %) in Qatar
Qatar: Rural population growth (annual %) was -1.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Qatar, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in Qatar stood at -1.7%.
The figure is down 196.5% on the previous year and down 133.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Qatar peaked at 9.2% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -16.0%, in 2021.
That places Qatar 184th 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 Qatar, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.7% | — |
| 1962 | 6.9% | +47.6% |
| 1963 | 7.5% | +8.0% |
| 1964 | 7.7% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 7.7% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 7.9% | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 8.2% | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 8.2% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 8.0% | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 8.6% | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 8.9% | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | -9.5% |
| 1973 | 7.3% | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 6.7% | -8.6% |
| 1975 | 6.1% | -9.2% |
| 1976 | 5.4% | -10.4% |
| 1977 | 4.7% | -12.7% |
| 1978 | 4.0% | -16.5% |
| 1979 | 3.1% | -22.8% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | -35.1% |
| 1981 | -0.2% | -108.8% |
| 1982 | -2.9% | +1569.5% |
| 1983 | -5.1% | +72.9% |
| 1984 | -6.3% | +24.3% |
| 1985 | -6.0% | -3.9% |
| 1986 | -4.3% | -29.2% |
| 1987 | -3.7% | -12.8% |
| 1988 | -4.1% | +9.3% |
| 1989 | -4.2% | +2.2% |
| 1990 | -4.2% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | -4.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | -4.2% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | -4.2% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | -4.1% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | -4.0% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | -3.8% | -4.2% |
| 1997 | -2.2% | -41.0% |
| 1998 | -0.4% | -82.7% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -158.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | +53.3% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -44.7% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | -250.1% |
| 2003 | -1.2% | +310.3% |
| 2004 | -3.3% | +178.0% |
| 2005 | -2.5% | -24.3% |
| 2006 | 5.4% | -318.1% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | +69.7% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | -62.7% |
| 2009 | -0.5% | -114.8% |
| 2010 | -9.5% | +1762.4% |
| 2011 | -8.1% | -14.5% |
| 2012 | -2.8% | -66.2% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -208.8% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | +92.3% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | -9.8% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -81.8% |
| 2017 | -1.9% | -296.2% |
| 2018 | -3.3% | +80.8% |
| 2019 | -2.6% | -22.0% |
| 2020 | 0.8% | -129.4% |
| 2021 | -16.0% | -2188.1% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -104.2% |
| 2023 | -5.4% | -898.0% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | -133.2% |
| 2025 | -1.7% | -196.5% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's -1.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.3%, 6.1× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Qatar's -1.7% 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 Qatar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -2188.1% | 0.8% | -16.0% |
| 2010 | -1762.4% | -0.5% | -9.5% |
| 1982 | -1569.5% | -0.2% | -2.9% |
| 2023 | -898.0% | 0.7% | -5.4% |
| 2006 | +318.1% | -2.5% | 5.4% |
| 2003 | -310.3% | -0.3% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.4% | 4.7% | 8.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.3% | 3.1% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -3.5% | -6.3% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -3.1% | -4.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | -3.3% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.3% | -9.5% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.3% | -16.0% | 1.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More agriculture & rural data for Qatar
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0031 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 221.93 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0064 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Qatar?
- Rural population growth in Qatar was -1.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 2007.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.0% in 2021.
- How does Qatar rank for rural population growth?
- Qatar ranks 184th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 133.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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.