Rural population in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Rural population was 75.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Ethiopia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Ethiopia is 75.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Ethiopia peaked at 92.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 75.9%, in 2025.
Ethiopia ranks 11th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 92.9% | — |
| 1961 | 92.8% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 92.6% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 92.5% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 92.3% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 92.2% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 92.0% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 91.9% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 91.7% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 91.6% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 91.4% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 91.3% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 91.1% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 90.9% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 90.8% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 90.6% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 90.4% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 90.2% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 90.0% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 89.8% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 89.6% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 89.4% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 89.2% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 89.0% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 88.8% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 88.6% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 88.3% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 88.1% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 87.8% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 87.5% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 87.2% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 87.0% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 86.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 86.5% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 86.3% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 86.1% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 85.9% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 85.7% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 85.5% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 85.3% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 85.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 84.9% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 84.7% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 84.5% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 84.2% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 84.0% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 83.8% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 83.2% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 82.8% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 82.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 82.1% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 81.8% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 81.4% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 81.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 80.5% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 79.7% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 79.2% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 78.8% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 78.4% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 77.9% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 77.3% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 76.9% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 76.4% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 75.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 92.3% | 91.6% | 92.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 90.7% | 89.8% | 91.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.6% | 87.5% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 86.2% | 85.3% | 87.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.1% | 82.8% | 85.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.7% | 78.8% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.1% | 75.9% | 78.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 8 South Sudan 78.3% compare
- 9 Vanuatu 77.7% compare
- 10 Micronesia, Federated States of 77.5% compare
- 12 Antigua and Barbuda 75.7% compare
- 13 Burundi 74.3% compare
- 14 Afghanistan 74.1% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Ethiopia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -20.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3282 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 306.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 32.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 32.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Ethiopia?
- Rural population in Ethiopia was 75.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.9% in 2025.
- How does Ethiopia rank for rural population?
- Ethiopia ranks 11th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.