Rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Rural population was 38.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics is 38.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at 55.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 38.0%, in 2011.
That places Central Europe and the Baltics 30th out of 47 groups 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 in Central Europe and the Baltics, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 55.6% | — |
| 1961 | 55.0% | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 54.4% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 53.8% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 53.1% | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 52.4% | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 51.8% | -1.1% |
| 1967 | 51.3% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 50.7% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 50.0% | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 49.3% | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 48.6% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 47.8% | -1.6% |
| 1973 | 47.1% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 46.3% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 45.6% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 44.8% | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 44.1% | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 43.6% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 43.1% | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 42.1% | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 41.5% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 41.0% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 40.6% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 40.1% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 39.8% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 39.5% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 39.1% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 38.9% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 38.7% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 38.6% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 38.5% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 38.5% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 38.4% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 38.4% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 38.4% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 38.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 38.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 38.5% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 38.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 38.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 38.3% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 38.2% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 38.2% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 38.1% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 38.0% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 38.0% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 38.0% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 38.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 38.0% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 38.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 38.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 38.2% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 38.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 38.4% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 38.5% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 38.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 38.3% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 38.2% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 38.1% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 52.8% | 50.0% | 55.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.0% | 43.1% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.1% | 38.7% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.5% | 38.4% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.3% | 38.1% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.1% | 38.0% | 38.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 38.1% | 38.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Europe and the Baltics
- 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
- 33 Eritrea 65.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Rural population, per capita 0.3809 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 67.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.4% (2025)
- Rural population 38.02 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0244 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.5316 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Rural population in Central Europe and the Baltics was 38.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.0% in 2011.
- How does Central Europe and the Baltics rank for rural population?
- Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 30th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics 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.