Rural population, per square kilometre by country
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Countries reporting
216
Highest
1,032 units per square kilometre
Maldives
Lowest
0 units per square kilometre
Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands
Median
26.81 units per square kilometre
Years covered
63
1961–2023
Data points
15,281
What the numbers show
Rural population, per square kilometre is currently reported for 216 countries. The highest value is 1,032 units per square kilometre in Maldives; the lowest is 0 units per square kilometre in Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The median across all reporting countries is 26.81 units per square kilometre, and the mean is 61.38 units per square kilometre.
Over the past decade 119 countries rose and 85 fell. The largest increase was in Niger (up 38.7%), and the largest decrease in Netherlands, The (down 54.0%).
Rural population, per square kilometre: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maldives | 1,032 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 894.96 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 3 | Channel Islands | 565.78 units per square kilometre | 2021 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 4 | Burundi | 407.52 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 5 | Rwanda | 402.43 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 6 | Mauritius | 381.38 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 7 | India | 314.06 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 8 | Comoros, Union of the | 305.47 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 284.47 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 10 | Barbados | 266.42 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.2% | falling |
| 11 | Aruba | 227.63 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 12 | Grenada | 218.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 13 | Liechtenstein | 212.48 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 14 | St. Lucia | 208.39 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 9.6% | rising |
| 15 | Vietnam | 198.09 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 16 | Pakistan | 196.43 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 17 | Haiti | 192.34 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 18 | Malawi | 185.85 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 28.6% | rising |
| 19 | Philippines | 172.92 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 20 | Uganda | 168.39 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 21 | Antigua and Barbuda | 160.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 22 | Seychelles | 142.95 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 23 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 135.83 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 24 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 124.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 25 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 122.83 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 26 | Trinidad and Tobago | 122.75 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 27 | Tuvalu | 117.77 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 28 | British Virgin Islands | 115.29 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 29 | Tonga | 114.55 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 30 | Palestine | 112.68 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.6% | falling |
| 31 | Jamaica | 108.95 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 32 | Korea, Republic of | 99.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 6.1% | falling |
| 33 | Gambia, The | 96.5 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 34 | Nigeria | 94.64 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 35 | Ethiopia, The Federal Democratic Republic of | 87.74 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 36 | Togo | 85.81 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 37 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 80 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 38 | El Salvador | 77.32 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 39 | Malta | 75.53 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 40 | São Tomé and Príncipe, Democratic Republic of | 75.5 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 14.2% | rising |
| 41 | Guatemala | 75.08 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 42 | Isle of Man | 70.61 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 43 | Nepal | 69.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 0.4% | falling |
| 44 | Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of | 66.47 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 45 | Egypt, Arab Republic of | 65.92 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 46 | Kenya | 65.13 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 47 | Dominican Republic | 64.99 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 48 | Sierra Leone | 64.69 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 49 | Samoa | 64.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 50 | Kiribati | 62.95 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 51 | Ghana | 62.65 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 52 | Indonesia | 62.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 53 | Burkina Faso | 60.77 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 25.5% | rising |
| 54 | Italy | 60.76 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 55 | Benin | 60.39 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 14.9% | rising |
| 56 | Cambodia | 58.6 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 57 | Myanmar | 57.74 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 58 | Tajikistan, Republic of | 55.25 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 28.0% | rising |
| 59 | Thailand | 54.83 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 26.0% | rising |
| 60 | Lebanon | 53.88 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 61 | Eswatini, Kingdom of | 53.08 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 62 | Slovak Republic | 52.83 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 63 | China (People’s Republic of) | 51.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 21.6% | falling |
| 64 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 50.98 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 65 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 48.53 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 25.9% | rising |
| 66 | Cyprus | 48.51 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 15.5% | rising |
| 67 | Belgium | 48.09 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 68 | Poland, Republic of | 48.05 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 69 | United Kingdom | 47.7 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 70 | Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of | 47.37 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 28.2% | rising |
| 71 | Yemen, Republic of | 47.32 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 24.3% | rising |
| 72 | Slovenia, Republic of | 46.83 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 8.4% | flat |
| 73 | Marshall Islands, Republic of the | 46.68 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 34.5% | falling |
| 74 | Côte d'Ivoire | 45.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 17.9% | rising |
| 75 | Portugal | 44.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.0% | falling |
| 76 | American Samoa | 44.26 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 12.2% | falling |
| 77 | Lesotho, Kingdom of | 43.64 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 6.3% | rising |
| 78 | Germany | 43.13 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.4% | flat |
| 79 | Moldova, Republic of | 42.54 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 80 | Senegal | 42.54 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 81 | Guinea-Bissau | 41.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 17.7% | rising |
| 82 | Honduras | 39.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 83 | Uzbekistan, Republic of | 39.65 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 84 | Romania | 39.63 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 85 | Israel | 38.65 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 86 | Czech Republic | 38.38 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 87 | Albania | 36.78 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 21.7% | falling |
| 88 | Guinea | 36.56 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 22.7% | rising |
| 89 | Madagascar, Republic of | 36.47 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.4% | rising |
| 90 | Armenia, Republic of | 36.06 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 91 | Syrian Arab Republic | 35.76 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 92 | Austria | 34.05 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.3% | falling |
| 93 | Switzerland | 33.33 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 94 | Morocco | 31.54 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 95 | Iraq | 31.28 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 26.0% | rising |
| 96 | Cabo Verde | 31.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 97 | Hungary | 31.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 98 | French Polynesia | 31.02 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 99 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 30.13 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 100 | Curaçao | 29.93 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 101 | Serbia, Republic of | 29.82 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 102 | Croatia, Republic of | 29.49 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 103 | Ireland | 27.67 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 104 | Mozambique, Republic of | 27.5 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 26.3% | rising |
| 105 | North Macedonia, Republic of | 27.36 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 106 | Japan | 27.04 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 107 | Cameroon | 26.93 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 108 | France | 26.92 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 109 | Ecuador | 26.69 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 13.0% | rising |
| 110 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 25.96 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 30.6% | rising |
| 111 | Liberia | 25.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 112 | Zimbabwe | 25.64 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 113 | Malaysia | 25.18 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 114 | Netherlands, The | 24.84 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 54.0% | falling |
| 115 | Cuba | 24.28 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 116 | Kyrgyz Republic | 24.17 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 117 | Faroe Islands | 24.14 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 118 | Dominica | 23.85 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 16.9% | falling |
| 119 | Tunisia | 23.54 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 120 | Nicaragua | 23.18 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 121 | Brunei Darussalam | 21.93 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 122 | United Arab Emirates | 21.16 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 21.7% | volatile |
| 123 | Costa Rica | 21.12 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 124 | Puerto Rico | 21.03 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 17.5% | volatile |
| 125 | Georgia | 20.98 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 126 | Fiji, Republic of | 20.94 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 10.1% | rising |
| 127 | Panama | 20.52 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 15.2% | rising |
| 128 | Vanuatu | 20.43 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 129 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 20.32 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 130 | Solomon Islands | 20 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 131 | Ukraine | 19.88 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 132 | Papua New Guinea | 19.49 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 22.3% | rising |
| 133 | Andorra, Principality of | 19.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 134 | Spain | 19.23 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 135 | Equatorial Guinea, Republic of | 19.02 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 136 | South Africa | 18.98 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 137 | Eritrea, The State of | 18.7 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 138 | Guam | 18.09 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 139 | Sudan | 17.47 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 29.7% | rising |
| 140 | Greece | 17.14 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 12.0% | falling |
| 141 | Denmark | 17.02 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.7% | falling |
| 142 | Niger | 16.99 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 38.7% | volatile |
| 143 | San Marino, Republic of | 16.18 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.4% | volatile |
| 144 | Montenegro | 16.01 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 145 | Bulgaria | 15.6 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 146 | Zambia | 15.32 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 25.7% | rising |
| 147 | Lithuania, Republic of | 14.42 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 148 | South Sudan, Republic of | 14.34 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 149 | United States Virgin Islands | 14.17 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 11.6% | volatile |
| 150 | Mexico | 13.7 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 151 | Djibouti | 13.51 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 8.9% | volatile |
| 152 | Luxembourg | 13.46 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 153 | Somalia | 13.44 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 154 | Mali | 13.44 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 24.7% | rising |
| 155 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 13.03 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 156 | Türkiye, Republic of | 12.17 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 42.7% | falling |
| 157 | Bhutan | 12.01 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 158 | Chad | 11.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 33.8% | volatile |
| 159 | Belize | 10.46 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 25.7% | volatile |
| 160 | Colombia | 10.24 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 161 | Belarus, Republic of | 9.58 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 162 | Latvia, Republic of | 9.58 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 7.9% | falling |
| 163 | Jordan | 9.43 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 22.6% | rising |
| 164 | Estonia, Republic of | 9.4 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 165 | Angola | 8.89 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 166 | Turkmenistan | 8.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 167 | Palau, Republic of | 8.03 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 10.7% | falling |
| 168 | Northern Mariana Islands | 7.88 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 169 | Bahamas, The | 7.45 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 11.6% | rising |
| 170 | United States | 7.34 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 171 | Congo, Republic of | 6.58 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 24.6% | rising |
| 172 | Paraguay | 5.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 11.5% | rising |
| 173 | New Caledonia | 5.11 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 174 | Algeria | 4.9 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 175 | Finland | 4.78 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 176 | Central African Republic | 4.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 177 | Peru | 4.02 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 16.5% | rising |
| 178 | Venezuela, República Bolivariana de | 3.45 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 8.5% | flat |
| 179 | Oman | 3.33 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 180 | Bolivia | 3.29 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 181 | New Zealand | 3.18 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 32.0% | rising |
| 182 | Brazil | 3.13 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 183 | Chile | 2.96 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 184 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.95 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.1% | flat |
| 185 | Sweden | 2.94 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 186 | Kazakhstan, Republic of | 2.88 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 187 | Guyana | 2.88 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 188 | Norway | 2.57 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 7.9% | falling |
| 189 | Saudi Arabia | 2.46 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 10.2% | rising |
| 190 | Russian Federation | 2.2 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 191 | Mauritania, Islamic Republic of | 1.96 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 192 | Namibia | 1.8 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 17.8% | rising |
| 193 | Qatar | 1.66 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 194 | Botswana | 1.44 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 195 | Suriname | 1.34 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 196 | Argentina | 1.3 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 197 | Uruguay | 0.8626 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 198 | Gabon | 0.8064 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 199 | Canada | 0.7963 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 200 | Mongolia | 0.6601 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 201 | Libya | 0.5039 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 17.6% | falling |
| 202 | Australia | 0.4337 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 203 | Iceland | 0.2237 units per square kilometre | 2023 | up 8.5% | falling |
| 204 | Greenland | 0.0165 units per square kilometre | 2023 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 205 | Bahrain, Kingdom of | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 205 | Bermuda | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Cayman Islands | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Gibraltar | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 205 | Kuwait | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 205 | Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | volatile |
| 205 | Saint Martin | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Monaco | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Naoero, Republic of | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Singapore | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
| 205 | Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 0 units per square kilometre | 2023 | — | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- South Asia 322.22 units per square kilometre
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 322.22 units per square kilometre
- Lower middle income 89.36 units per square kilometre
- IDA blend 70.05 units per square kilometre
- Early-demographic dividend 55.82 units per square kilometre
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 51.79 units per square kilometre
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 51.58 units per square kilometre
- IDA total 44.99 units per square kilometre
- Middle income 42.38 units per square kilometre
- Low & middle income 40.52 units per square kilometre
- IDA only 38.95 units per square kilometre
- Least developed countries: UN classification 36.63 units per square kilometre
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.