Rural population growth (annual %) in World
World: Rural population growth (annual %) was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in World, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in World is 0.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 18.6% on the previous year and up 431.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in World peaked at 1.9% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2011.
That places World 28th out of 47 groups 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 World, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.9% | — |
| 1962 | 1.9% | +107.4% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 1964 | 1.2% | -37.1% |
| 1965 | 1.7% | +47.5% |
| 1966 | 1.7% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 1.7% | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 1.7% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 1.7% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 1.8% | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 1.8% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 1.6% | -7.6% |
| 1973 | 1.5% | -6.4% |
| 1974 | 1.5% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 1.4% | -9.4% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -5.3% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 1.2% | -6.1% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | -19.0% |
| 1980 | 1.2% | +23.7% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | -5.6% |
| 1982 | 1.3% | +18.7% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -17.8% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -15.4% |
| 1985 | 1.2% | +28.3% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 1.2% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | +8.6% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | +12.4% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | -25.4% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -38.0% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -7.9% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -30.2% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +36.1% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -31.4% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -19.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | +21.6% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -16.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -31.9% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +90.1% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -25.6% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | +73.2% |
| 2011 | -0.2% | -157.1% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -219.9% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -54.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +37.2% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -68.7% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +131.3% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | +41.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -43.4% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +58.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +75.2% |
| 2021 | -0.0% | -103.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -3105.3% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | +43.3% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -18.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +3105.3% | -0.0% | 0.3% |
| 2012 | +219.9% | -0.2% | 0.3% |
| 2011 | -157.1% | 0.4% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | -0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | -0.0% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
- 25 Uganda 1.7% compare
- 26 Tanzania 1.7% compare
- 27 Belize 1.7% compare
- 28 Congo 1.7% compare
- 29 Madagascar 1.7% compare
- 30 South Sudan 1.6% compare
- 31 Equatorial Guinea 1.6% compare
More agriculture & rural data for World
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 577.68 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2984 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4217 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Rural population 42.2% (2025)
- Rural population 3.46 billion (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in World?
- Rural population growth in World was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 1.9% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2011.
- How does World rank for rural population growth?
- World ranks 28th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 431.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.