Rural population growth (annual %) in Rwanda
Rwanda: Rural population growth (annual %) was 0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Rwanda, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in Rwanda stood at 0.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 55.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Rwanda peaked at 15.1% in 1996 and was at its lowest, -19.4%, in 1995.
That places Rwanda 71st out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.7% | — |
| 1962 | 2.5% | -8.6% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -10.3% |
| 1964 | 2.3% | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | +13.8% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +8.4% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | +6.5% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 3.0% | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -3.9% |
| 1973 | 2.7% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 2.7% | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 2.8% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 3.3% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | -15.3% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | -23.5% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -10.6% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +73.8% |
| 1994 | -17.3% | -672.7% |
| 1995 | -19.4% | +12.4% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | -177.7% |
| 1997 | 12.8% | -15.5% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | -81.1% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | -131.1% |
| 2000 | -0.5% | -33.6% |
| 2001 | -0.0% | -94.1% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | -3336.5% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | +126.8% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | +20.9% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -15.3% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | -18.5% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -20.5% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -23.4% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -27.9% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -35.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -47.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -80.2% |
| 2022 | -0.1% | -323.6% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | -776.0% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -2.1% |
| 2025 | 0.7% | +1.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 0.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.9%, 36% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 0.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.2%, 58% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +3336.5% | -0.0% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | +776.0% | -0.1% | 0.7% |
| 1994 | -672.7% | 3.0% | -17.3% |
| 2022 | -323.6% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | +177.7% | -19.4% | 15.1% |
| 1999 | -131.1% | 2.4% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | -19.4% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | -0.5% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | -0.1% | 0.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More agriculture & rural data for Rwanda
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.203 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 228.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6953 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6909 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 20.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 20.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Rwanda?
- Rural population growth in Rwanda was 0.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 15.1% in 1996.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was -19.4% in 1995.
- How does Rwanda rank for rural population growth?
- Rwanda ranks 71st out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.