Rural population, per square kilometre in India
India: Rural population, per square kilometre was 314.06 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
314.06 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
6th
of 215 countries
All-time high
314.06 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
123.13 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in India, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, rural population, per square kilometre in India stood at 314.06 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in India peaked at 314.06 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 123.13 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
India ranks 6th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in India, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 123.13 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 125.9 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 128.66 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 131.46 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 134.16 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 136.74 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 139.34 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 141.98 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 144.6 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 147.4 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 150.22 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 152.97 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 155.74 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 158.55 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 161.45 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 164.36 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 167.34 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 170.3 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 173.44 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 176.84 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 180.38 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 184.05 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 187.86 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 191.79 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 195.8 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 199.88 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 204 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 208.14 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 212.32 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 216.51 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 220.66 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 224.8 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 228.96 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 233.07 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 237.18 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 241.31 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 245.42 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 249.48 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 253.49 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 257.45 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 261.38 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 265.15 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 268.7 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 272.14 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 275.37 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 278.38 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 281.21 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 283.81 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 286.4 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 288.98 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 291.53 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 294.21 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 296.76 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 299.12 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 301.29 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 303.46 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 305.56 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 307.47 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 309.21 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 310.75 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 311.82 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 312.8 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 314.06 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 314.06 units per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.64 units per square kilometre, 7.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 314.06 units per square kilometre is above the median for South Asia, which is 299.27 units per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 134 units per square kilometre | 123.13 units per square kilometre | 144.6 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 160.18 units per square kilometre | 147.4 units per square kilometre | 173.44 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 194.1 units per square kilometre | 176.84 units per square kilometre | 212.32 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 235.09 units per square kilometre | 216.51 units per square kilometre | 253.49 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 273 units per square kilometre | 257.45 units per square kilometre | 286.4 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 299.76 units per square kilometre | 288.98 units per square kilometre | 309.21 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 312.36 units per square kilometre | 310.75 units per square kilometre | 314.06 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 3 Burundi 407.52 units per square kilometre compare
- 4 Rwanda 402.43 units per square kilometre compare
- 5 Mauritius 381.38 units per square kilometre compare
- 7 Comoros 305.47 units per square kilometre compare
- 8 Sri Lanka 284.47 units per square kilometre compare
- 9 Barbados 266.42 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in India?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in India was 314.06 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 314.06 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 123.13 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does India rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- India ranks 6th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.