Rural population in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Rural population was 63.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Least developed countries, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 63.4% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Least developed countries peaked at 90.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 63.4%, in 2025.
Least developed countries ranks 4th of 45 groups 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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 90.6% | — |
| 1961 | 90.4% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 90.1% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 89.9% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 89.6% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 89.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 89.0% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 88.7% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 88.3% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 87.9% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 87.5% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 87.0% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 86.4% | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 86.0% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 85.8% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 85.6% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 85.0% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 84.4% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 83.9% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 83.3% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 82.7% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 82.3% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 81.8% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 81.4% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 81.0% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 80.6% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 80.2% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 79.7% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 79.3% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 78.8% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 78.4% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 78.0% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 77.3% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 76.9% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 76.5% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 76.2% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 75.8% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 75.1% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 74.7% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 74.3% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 73.9% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 73.4% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 73.0% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 72.5% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 72.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 71.5% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 71.0% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 70.5% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 70.1% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 69.6% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 68.8% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.4% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 67.9% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 67.4% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 67.0% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 66.5% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 66.0% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 65.6% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 65.2% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 64.7% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 64.3% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 63.8% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 63.4% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.4% | 87.9% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 85.5% | 83.3% | 87.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.8% | 78.8% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 76.7% | 75.1% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.7% | 70.5% | 74.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.1% | 66.0% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.5% | 63.4% | 65.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More agriculture & rural data for Least developed countries
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 337.24 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 769.36 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.1% (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6336 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 277.75 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Least developed countries?
- Rural population in Least developed countries was 63.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 90.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.4% in 2025.
- How does Least developed countries rank for rural population?
- Least developed countries ranks 4th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.