Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Arab World
Arab World: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 40.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Arab World, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Arab World recorded 40.0% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Arab World peaked at 69.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 40.0%, in 2025.
Arab World ranks 29th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 69.1% | — |
| 1961 | 68.3% | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 67.5% | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 66.7% | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 65.9% | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 65.2% | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 64.5% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 63.9% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 63.2% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 62.5% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 61.8% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 61.2% | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 60.5% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 60.0% | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 59.4% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 58.8% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 58.3% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 57.8% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 57.3% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 56.8% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 56.3% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 55.7% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 55.1% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 54.6% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 54.0% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 53.3% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 52.7% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 52.1% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 51.5% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 50.9% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 50.5% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 50.1% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 49.3% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 49.1% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 48.9% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 48.6% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 48.4% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 48.1% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 47.8% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 47.6% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 47.3% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 47.0% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 46.6% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 46.3% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 46.0% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 45.7% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 45.3% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 45.0% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 44.6% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 44.4% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 43.9% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 43.2% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 42.0% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 41.6% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 41.4% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 41.3% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 41.2% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 41.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 40.9% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 40.9% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 40.7% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 40.4% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 40.2% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 40.0% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 65.7% | 62.5% | 69.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.2% | 56.8% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.6% | 50.9% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.0% | 47.8% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.1% | 44.6% | 47.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.3% | 41.1% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.5% | 40.0% | 40.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 26 Uganda 68.1% compare
- 27 Kenya 67.8% compare
- 28 Mali 67.8% compare
- 29 Channel Islands 67.4% compare
- 30 Madagascar 67.1% compare
- 31 Bangladesh 66.8% compare
- 32 Comoros 66.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Arab World
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3996 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 225.78 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 201.16 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 5.9% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 448.55 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Arab World?
- Rural population in Arab World was 40.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 69.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.0% in 2025.
- How does Arab World rank for rural population?
- Arab World ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
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.