Rural population in IDA total
IDA total: Rural population was 58.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in IDA total, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in IDA total stood at 58.9%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in IDA total peaked at 86.5% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 58.9%, in 2025.
That places IDA total 9th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in IDA total, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 86.5% | — |
| 1961 | 86.1% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 85.8% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 85.5% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 85.1% | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 84.8% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 84.4% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 84.0% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 83.6% | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 83.2% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 82.8% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 82.3% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 81.8% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 81.3% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 81.0% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 80.7% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 80.1% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 79.5% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 79.0% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 78.4% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 77.9% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 77.5% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 77.1% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 76.7% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 76.3% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 75.9% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 75.0% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 74.6% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 74.2% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 73.8% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 73.4% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 73.0% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 72.7% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 72.3% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 72.0% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 71.6% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 71.3% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 70.9% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 70.5% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 70.1% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 69.7% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 69.2% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 68.8% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 68.3% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 67.8% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 67.3% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 66.8% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 66.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 65.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 65.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 65.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 64.5% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 64.0% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 63.6% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 62.8% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 62.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 62.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 61.5% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 61.1% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 60.7% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 60.2% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 59.8% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 59.3% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 58.9% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 84.9% | 83.2% | 86.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 80.7% | 78.4% | 82.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 76.1% | 74.2% | 77.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.1% | 70.5% | 73.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.0% | 65.8% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.4% | 61.5% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.0% | 58.9% | 61.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near IDA total
- 6 Sri Lanka 79.5% compare
- 7 Tonga 78.8% compare
- 8 South Sudan 78.3% compare
- 9 Vanuatu 77.7% compare
- 10 Micronesia (country) 77.5% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 75.9% compare
- 12 Antigua and Barbuda 75.7% compare
More agriculture & rural data for IDA total
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 625.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 1.17 billion (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.4% (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5885 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 314.62 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in IDA total?
- Rural population in IDA total was 58.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in IDA total?
- The highest recorded value was 86.5% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in IDA total?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.9% in 2025.
- How does IDA total rank for rural population?
- IDA total ranks 9th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in IDA total?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this IDA total 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.