Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Israel
Israel: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 8.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
8.4%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
190th
of 218 countries
All-time high
23.1%
in 1960
All-time low
8.3%
in 2009
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Israel, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Israel is 8.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Israel peaked at 23.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2009.
That places Israel 190th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Israel, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 23.1% | — |
| 1961 | 22.0% | -4.7% |
| 1962 | 21.2% | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 20.3% | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 19.6% | -3.8% |
| 1965 | 18.8% | -3.8% |
| 1966 | 18.1% | -3.7% |
| 1967 | 17.5% | -3.6% |
| 1968 | 16.8% | -3.6% |
| 1969 | 16.3% | -3.5% |
| 1970 | 15.7% | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 15.2% | -3.4% |
| 1972 | 14.7% | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 14.2% | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 13.7% | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 13.2% | -3.5% |
| 1976 | 12.7% | -3.5% |
| 1977 | 12.3% | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 11.9% | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 11.5% | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 10.9% | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 10.6% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 10.4% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 10.3% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 10.0% | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 9.9% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 9.8% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 9.7% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 9.6% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 9.5% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 9.4% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 9.3% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 9.2% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 9.1% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 9.1% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 9.0% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 8.8% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 8.6% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 8.3% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 8.3% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 8.3% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 8.3% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 8.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 8.4% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 8.5% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 8.5% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 8.4% | -0.5% |
Israel compared with similar countries
- Israel's 8.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.7%, 45% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Israel's 8.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 20.5%, 41% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.4% | 16.3% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.5% | 11.5% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.3% | 9.7% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 8.8% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Israel
More agriculture & rural data for Israel
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.3447 % 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 0.0465 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0045 % 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 0.0633 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0129 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 696.75 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.7021 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Israel?
- Rural population in Israel was 8.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2009.
- How does Israel rank for rural population?
- Israel ranks 190th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Israel 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.