Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Bolivia
Bolivia: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 28.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Bolivia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Bolivia recorded 28.4% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Bolivia peaked at 63.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 28.4%, in 2025.
That places Bolivia 136th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Bolivia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 63.1% | — |
| 1961 | 62.9% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 62.7% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 62.5% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 62.3% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 62.1% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 61.9% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 61.6% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 61.4% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 61.1% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 60.8% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 60.5% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 60.2% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 59.9% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 59.5% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 59.2% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 58.8% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 58.3% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 57.7% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 55.9% | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 54.8% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 53.7% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 52.5% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 51.2% | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 49.9% | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 48.7% | -2.6% |
| 1987 | 47.4% | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 46.2% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 45.1% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 44.1% | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 43.2% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 42.4% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 41.8% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 41.2% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 40.6% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 40.1% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 39.6% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 39.1% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 38.6% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 38.1% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 37.2% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 36.7% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 36.2% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 35.3% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 34.9% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 34.5% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 34.0% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 33.2% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 32.7% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 32.3% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 31.6% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 31.3% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 30.6% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 30.3% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 30.0% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 29.7% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 29.1% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 28.8% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 28.4% | -1.1% |
Bolivia compared with similar countries
- Bolivia's 28.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 58% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bolivia's 28.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 28.0%, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 62.2% | 61.1% | 63.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.2% | 56.9% | 60.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.5% | 45.1% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.1% | 38.6% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.0% | 34.0% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.8% | 30.3% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.2% | 28.4% | 30.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
More agriculture & rural data for Bolivia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -0.6037 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0883 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 390.22 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2844 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.8% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Bolivia?
- Rural population in Bolivia was 28.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 63.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.4% in 2025.
- How does Bolivia rank for rural population?
- Bolivia ranks 136th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bolivia 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.
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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.