Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 56.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Bhutan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Bhutan is 56.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Bhutan peaked at 97.5% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 56.6%, in 2025.
Bhutan ranks 52nd of 218 countries on this measure, 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 Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 97.5% | — |
| 1961 | 97.5% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 97.4% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 97.4% | -0.0% |
| 1964 | 97.3% | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 97.3% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 97.2% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 97.2% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 97.1% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 97.0% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 96.8% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 96.5% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 95.9% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 95.1% | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 94.2% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 93.2% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 92.1% | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 91.0% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 89.9% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 88.8% | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 87.8% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 87.0% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 86.1% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 85.3% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 84.5% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 83.7% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 82.9% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 82.1% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 81.4% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 80.6% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 79.8% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 79.0% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 78.3% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 77.5% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 76.7% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 76.0% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 75.3% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 74.5% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 73.8% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 73.1% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 72.4% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 71.7% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 71.0% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 70.4% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 69.7% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 69.1% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 68.4% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 67.8% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 67.2% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 66.7% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 65.5% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 65.0% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 63.9% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 63.3% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 62.7% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 62.1% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 60.9% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 60.3% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 59.7% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 59.1% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 58.3% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 57.4% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 56.6% | -1.5% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 56.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 56.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 60.9%, 93% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 97.3% | 97.0% | 97.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 93.4% | 88.8% | 96.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 84.2% | 80.6% | 87.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 76.4% | 73.1% | 79.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.4% | 66.7% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.6% | 60.9% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.6% | 56.6% | 60.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More agriculture & rural data for Bhutan
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -11.57 % 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 0.068 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.5864 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1368 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 614.64 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8653 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Bhutan?
- Rural population in Bhutan was 56.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 97.5% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.6% in 2025.
- How does Bhutan rank for rural population?
- Bhutan ranks 52nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.