Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Belize
Belize: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 58.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Rural population in Belize, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Belize stood at 58.4%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Belize peaked at 58.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 45.7%, in 1970.
That places Belize 49th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Belize, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 46.1% | — |
| 1961 | 46.1% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 45.9% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 45.9% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 45.8% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 45.8% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 45.8% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 45.7% | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 45.8% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 46.1% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 46.4% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 46.7% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 47.0% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 47.3% | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 47.7% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 48.0% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 48.3% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 48.7% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 49.2% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 49.7% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 50.2% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 50.7% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 51.2% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 51.7% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 52.1% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 52.4% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 52.6% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 52.7% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 52.7% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 52.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 52.4% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 52.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 52.7% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 53.0% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 53.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 53.9% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 54.2% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 54.5% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 54.8% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 55.1% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 55.3% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 55.6% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 56.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 56.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 56.6% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 56.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 57.1% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 57.4% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 57.6% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 57.9% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 58.1% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 58.2% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 58.4% | +0.3% |
Belize compared with similar countries
- Belize's 58.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.7× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Belize's 58.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 28.0%, 2.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.9% | 45.8% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.7% | 45.7% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.4% | 48.3% | 52.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.5% | 52.3% | 52.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.2% | 52.3% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.9% | 54.8% | 57.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.9% | 57.4% | 58.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belize
More agriculture & rural data for Belize
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0795 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 610.5 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5844 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 7.9% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 7.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Belize?
- Rural population in Belize was 58.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Belize?
- The highest recorded value was 58.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Belize?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.7% in 1970.
- How does Belize rank for rural population?
- Belize ranks 49th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Belize?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belize 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.