Rural population growth (annual %) in Upper middle income
Upper middle income: Rural population growth (annual %) was -0.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Upper middle income, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in Upper middle income is -0.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.4% on the previous year and up 50.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Upper middle income peaked at 2.7% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -2.7%, in 2011.
That places Upper middle income 43rd out of 47 groups 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 Upper middle income, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.4% | — |
| 1962 | 2.7% | +490.4% |
| 1963 | 2.5% | -3.9% |
| 1964 | 1.0% | -58.8% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | +120.5% |
| 1966 | 2.4% | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | -6.3% |
| 1968 | 2.2% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 2.3% | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 2.3% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | -13.3% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 1.4% | -21.0% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -3.5% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -8.5% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | -17.8% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | -54.1% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | +94.0% |
| 1981 | 0.7% | -23.5% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +56.1% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -52.1% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | -71.9% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +385.7% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | -7.6% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +8.2% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | +32.0% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | +30.0% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -60.6% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | +8.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -20.9% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -15.1% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -19.9% |
| 1996 | -0.6% | -297.9% |
| 1997 | -0.6% | +17.0% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | +12.7% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | +12.7% |
| 2000 | -1.1% | +33.1% |
| 2001 | -0.8% | -31.1% |
| 2002 | -1.0% | +37.3% |
| 2003 | -1.1% | +7.4% |
| 2004 | -0.9% | -15.7% |
| 2005 | -1.0% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | -1.1% | +15.4% |
| 2007 | -1.4% | +23.9% |
| 2008 | -0.9% | -32.8% |
| 2009 | -1.2% | +35.8% |
| 2010 | -0.8% | -36.8% |
| 2011 | -2.7% | +237.8% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | -54.3% |
| 2013 | -1.6% | +29.6% |
| 2014 | -1.5% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | -1.9% | +26.4% |
| 2016 | -1.7% | -10.6% |
| 2017 | -1.6% | -7.8% |
| 2018 | -1.8% | +13.2% |
| 2019 | -1.6% | -9.0% |
| 2020 | -1.2% | -27.2% |
| 2021 | -1.9% | +60.5% |
| 2022 | -1.0% | -45.2% |
| 2023 | -0.8% | -19.5% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | -0.9% | +15.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Upper middle income 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +490.4% | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| 1985 | +385.7% | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| 1996 | -297.9% | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | -237.8% | -0.8% | -2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.0% | 0.4% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 0.5% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | -0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -1.4% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.6% | -2.7% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.1% | -1.9% | -0.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Upper middle income
- 40 Burkina Faso 1.4% compare
- 41 Egypt 1.4% compare
- 42 Papua New Guinea 1.3% compare
- 43 Malta 1.3% compare
- 44 Burundi 1.3% compare
- 45 Comoros 1.2% compare
- 46 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Upper middle income
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9329 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3177 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.31 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 978.15 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 6.9% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 748.69 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population 31.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Upper middle income?
- Rural population growth in Upper middle income was -0.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Upper middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Upper middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.7% in 2011.
- How does Upper middle income rank for rural population growth?
- Upper middle income ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Upper middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Upper middle income 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.