Rural population, per square kilometre in South Asia
South Asia: Rural population, per square kilometre was 322.22 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Rural population, per square kilometre in South Asia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 322.22 units per square kilometre for rural population, per square kilometre in 2023. 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 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in South Asia peaked at 322.22 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 129.6 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Asia 1st out of 45 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 South Asia, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 129.6 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 132.57 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 135.56 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 138.58 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 141.53 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 144.39 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 147.28 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 150.22 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 153.13 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 156.16 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 159.06 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 161.93 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 164.98 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 168.04 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 171.09 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 174.08 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 177.08 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 180.06 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 183.2 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 186.62 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 190.26 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 194.1 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 198.05 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 202.1 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 206.22 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 210.41 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 214.62 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 218.83 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 223.07 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 227.31 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 231.5 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 235.72 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 239.97 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 244.67 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 248.87 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 253.08 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 257.27 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 261.42 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 265.51 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 269.48 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 273.37 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 276.99 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 280.29 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 283.54 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 286.37 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 288.96 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 291.35 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 293.53 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 295.73 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 297.97 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 300.28 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 302.78 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 305.01 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 307.25 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 309.41 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 311.51 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 313.54 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 315.39 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 317.12 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 318.69 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 319.88 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 320.96 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 322.22 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 141.43 units per square kilometre | 129.6 units per square kilometre | 153.13 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 169.57 units per square kilometre | 156.16 units per square kilometre | 183.2 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 204.43 units per square kilometre | 186.62 units per square kilometre | 223.07 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 246.53 units per square kilometre | 227.31 units per square kilometre | 265.51 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 283.96 units per square kilometre | 269.48 units per square kilometre | 295.73 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 308.03 units per square kilometre | 297.97 units per square kilometre | 317.12 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 320.44 units per square kilometre | 318.69 units per square kilometre | 322.22 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More agriculture & rural data for South Asia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 714.12 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 1.09 billion (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Rural population 64.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2024)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6421 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.156 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 421.99 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in South Asia?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in South Asia was 322.22 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 322.22 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 129.6 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Asia rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- South Asia ranks 1st out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South 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.