Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Ecuador
Ecuador: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 36.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Ecuador, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Ecuador stood at 36.6%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Ecuador peaked at 65.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 36.6%, in 2025.
Ecuador ranks 106th of 218 countries on this measure, 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 Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 65.3% | — |
| 1961 | 64.7% | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 64.2% | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 63.7% | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 63.2% | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 62.7% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 62.3% | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 61.9% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 61.5% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 61.1% | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 60.7% | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 60.2% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 59.7% | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 59.2% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 58.6% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 57.9% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 57.0% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 56.1% | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 55.1% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 54.1% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 53.0% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 52.0% | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 51.1% | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 50.3% | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 49.4% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 48.6% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 47.8% | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 47.0% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 46.3% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 45.6% | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 44.9% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 44.3% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 43.6% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 43.0% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 42.4% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 41.8% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 41.2% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 40.7% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 40.2% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 39.7% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 39.3% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 39.0% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 38.7% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 38.5% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 38.0% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 37.6% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 37.5% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 37.3% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 37.3% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 37.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 37.2% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 37.1% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 37.1% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 36.9% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 36.9% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 36.9% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 36.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 36.8% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 36.6% | -0.4% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 36.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 36.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 28.0%, 1.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 63.1% | 61.1% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.9% | 54.1% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.1% | 45.6% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.2% | 39.7% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.2% | 37.3% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.1% | 36.9% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.8% | 36.6% | 36.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More agriculture & rural data for Ecuador
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0374 % 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 0.1315 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0159 % 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 0.3086 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.097 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 691.36 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4287 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Ecuador?
- Rural population in Ecuador was 36.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 65.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.6% in 2025.
- How does Ecuador rank for rural population?
- Ecuador ranks 106th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ecuador 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
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.