Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Mauritania
Mauritania: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 38.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Mauritania, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Mauritania recorded 38.5% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Mauritania peaked at 93.1% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 38.5%, in 2025.
That places Mauritania 96th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 93.1% | — |
| 1961 | 92.5% | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 91.9% | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 91.2% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 90.6% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 89.8% | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 88.9% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 87.9% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 87.0% | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 86.0% | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 84.9% | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 83.8% | -1.3% |
| 1972 | 82.7% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 81.5% | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 80.4% | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 79.2% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 77.9% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 76.6% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 75.1% | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 73.3% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 71.3% | -2.6% |
| 1981 | 69.3% | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 67.3% | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 65.5% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 63.8% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 62.3% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 61.2% | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 60.6% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 60.4% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 60.4% | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 60.5% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 60.7% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 60.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 61.0% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 61.2% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 61.3% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 61.5% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 61.7% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 61.8% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 61.9% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 61.9% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 61.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 61.6% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 61.1% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 60.4% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 59.6% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 58.6% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 57.6% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 56.4% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 55.2% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 54.0% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 52.9% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 51.7% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 50.6% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 49.5% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 48.3% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 47.1% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 45.8% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 44.9% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 43.9% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 43.0% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 42.1% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 41.2% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 39.4% | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 38.5% | -2.2% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 38.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 78% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 38.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 70% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.9% | 86.0% | 93.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 79.5% | 73.3% | 84.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 64.2% | 60.4% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 61.2% | 60.5% | 61.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.4% | 55.2% | 61.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.9% | 43.9% | 54.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.7% | 38.5% | 43.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More agriculture & rural data for Mauritania
- 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 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0865 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 0.0034 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 7.47 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1995 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5156 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Mauritania?
- Rural population in Mauritania was 38.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 93.1% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.5% in 2025.
- How does Mauritania rank for rural population?
- Mauritania ranks 96th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.