Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 66.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
66.8%
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
31st
of 218 countries
All-time high
94.9%
in 1960
All-time low
66.8%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Bangladesh, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Bangladesh is 66.8%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Bangladesh peaked at 94.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 66.8%, in 2025.
That places Bangladesh 31st out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 94.9% | — |
| 1961 | 94.7% | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 94.5% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 94.3% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 94.1% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 93.9% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 93.7% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 93.5% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 93.2% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 92.9% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 92.6% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 92.3% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 91.9% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 91.5% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 91.0% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 90.4% | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 89.4% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 88.4% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 87.3% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 86.2% | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 85.3% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 84.6% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 84.0% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 83.4% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 82.9% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 82.4% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 81.9% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 81.4% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 81.0% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 80.6% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 80.1% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 79.7% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 79.4% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 79.0% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 78.7% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 78.3% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 78.0% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 77.7% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 77.4% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 77.0% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 76.7% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 76.3% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 75.9% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 75.4% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 75.0% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 74.5% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 74.1% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 73.6% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 73.1% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 72.7% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 72.3% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 71.9% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 71.5% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 71.2% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 70.8% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 70.5% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 69.8% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 69.5% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.2% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 68.9% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 68.6% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 67.8% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 67.3% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 66.8% | -0.8% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 66.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 66.8% is above the median for South Asia, which is 60.9%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 94.0% | 92.9% | 94.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 90.1% | 86.2% | 92.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 82.7% | 80.6% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.5% | 77.0% | 80.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.7% | 72.7% | 76.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.7% | 69.2% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.0% | 66.8% | 68.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
- 28 Mali 67.8% compare
- 29 Channel Islands 67.4% compare
- 30 Madagascar 67.1% compare
- 32 Comoros 66.1% compare
- 33 Eritrea 65.5% compare
- 34 Kyrgyzstan 65.3% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Bangladesh
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.5052 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0512 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.4735 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.0546 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1142 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 296.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.38 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Bangladesh?
- Rural population in Bangladesh was 66.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 94.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.8% in 2025.
- How does Bangladesh rank for rural population?
- Bangladesh ranks 31st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh 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.