Rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Rural population, per square kilometre was 8.82 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia is 8.82 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 54.88 units per square kilometre in 1961 and was at its lowest, 8.82 units per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places Europe & Central Asia 36th out of 45 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 54.88 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 54.87 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 54.8 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 54.65 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 54.45 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 54.18 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 53.92 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 53.67 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 53.4 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 53.13 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 52.91 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 52.66 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 52.38 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 52.09 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 51.86 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 51.65 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 51.49 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 51.36 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 51.23 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 51.05 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 50.93 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 50.8 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 50.68 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 50.61 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 50.56 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 50.49 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 50.43 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 50.38 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 50.39 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 50.42 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 50.45 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 10.21 units per square kilometre | -79.8% |
| 1993 | 10.18 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 10.17 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 10.16 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 10.13 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 10.06 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 10.02 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 9.99 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 9.92 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 9.87 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 9.83 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 9.79 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 9.77 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 9.75 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 9.68 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 9.64 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 9.62 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 9.6 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 9.55 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 9.5 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 9.43 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 9.29 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 9.14 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 9.03 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 8.99 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 8.99 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.98 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 8.95 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 8.92 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 8.89 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 8.85 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 8.82 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.31 units per square kilometre | 53.4 units per square kilometre | 54.88 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 52.07 units per square kilometre | 51.23 units per square kilometre | 53.13 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.63 units per square kilometre | 50.38 units per square kilometre | 51.05 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.18 units per square kilometre | 9.99 units per square kilometre | 50.45 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.75 units per square kilometre | 9.6 units per square kilometre | 9.92 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.19 units per square kilometre | 8.95 units per square kilometre | 9.55 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.87 units per square kilometre | 8.82 units per square kilometre | 8.92 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 33 Nigeria 94.64 units per square kilometre compare
- 34 Ethiopia 87.74 units per square kilometre compare
- 35 Togo 85.81 units per square kilometre compare
- 36 North Korea 80 units per square kilometre compare
- 37 El Salvador 77.32 units per square kilometre compare
- 38 Malta 75.53 units per square kilometre compare
- 39 Sao Tome and Principe 75.5 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for Europe & Central Asia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 643.81 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 241.78 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.0% (2025)
- Rural population 25.9% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2593 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.02 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 690.4 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Europe & Central Asia was 8.82 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.88 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.82 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 36th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
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.