Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Gambia
Gambia: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 35.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Gambia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 35.0% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Gambia peaked at 91.2% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 35.0%, in 2025.
Gambia ranks 112th 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 Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 90.9% | — |
| 1961 | 91.1% | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 91.2% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 91.2% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 91.0% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 90.7% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 90.1% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 89.5% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 88.7% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 87.8% | -1.0% |
| 1970 | 86.8% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 85.9% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 84.9% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 83.9% | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 82.7% | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 81.3% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 79.7% | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 78.0% | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 76.2% | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 74.4% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 72.8% | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 71.3% | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 70.0% | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 69.0% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 68.2% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 67.5% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 66.9% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 66.4% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 65.9% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 65.4% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 64.8% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 64.2% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 63.5% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 62.7% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 61.7% | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 60.4% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 57.6% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 56.0% | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 54.5% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 53.0% | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 51.7% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 50.4% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 49.4% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 48.5% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 47.6% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 46.8% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 46.1% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 45.4% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 44.7% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 44.0% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 43.3% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 42.7% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 42.0% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 41.4% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 40.1% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 39.5% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 38.9% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 38.4% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 37.8% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 37.2% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 36.7% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 36.2% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 35.7% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 35.0% | -1.9% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 35.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 65.5%, 53% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 35.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 64% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 90.2% | 87.8% | 91.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 81.4% | 74.4% | 86.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.3% | 65.4% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.4% | 54.5% | 64.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.4% | 44.7% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.1% | 38.4% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.4% | 35.0% | 37.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More agriculture & rural data for Gambia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1584 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2247 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 25.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 219.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2766 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Gambia?
- Rural population in Gambia was 35.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 91.2% in 1963.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.0% in 2025.
- How does Gambia rank for rural population?
- Gambia ranks 112th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia 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.