Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Pakistan
Pakistan: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 60.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
60.5%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
44th
of 218 countries
All-time high
77.7%
in 1960
All-time low
60.5%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Pakistan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 60.5% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Pakistan peaked at 77.7% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 60.5%, in 2025.
Pakistan ranks 44th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 77.7% | — |
| 1961 | 77.4% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 77.1% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 76.8% | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 76.5% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 76.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 76.1% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 75.9% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 75.6% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 75.4% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 75.2% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 74.9% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 74.7% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 74.4% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 74.0% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 73.7% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 73.3% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 72.9% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 72.6% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 72.2% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 71.9% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 71.6% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 71.3% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 71.0% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 70.8% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 70.5% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 70.2% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 70.0% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 69.7% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 69.5% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 69.2% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 69.0% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 68.8% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 68.5% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 68.3% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 67.9% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 67.6% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 67.4% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 67.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 67.0% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 66.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 66.6% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 66.4% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 66.3% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 66.1% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 65.9% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 65.7% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 65.6% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 65.4% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 65.2% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 65.0% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 64.8% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 64.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 64.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 63.8% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 63.6% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 63.3% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 62.9% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 62.5% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 62.1% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 61.6% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 61.2% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 60.8% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 60.5% | -0.6% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 60.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 60.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 20.5%, 2.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 76.5% | 75.4% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.8% | 72.2% | 75.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 70.7% | 69.5% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 68.2% | 67.2% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.2% | 65.4% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.2% | 62.9% | 65.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.4% | 60.5% | 62.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More agriculture & rural data for Pakistan
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.7458 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1185 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.6407 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1381 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2302 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 367.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.984 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Pakistan?
- Rural population in Pakistan was 60.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 77.7% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.5% in 2025.
- How does Pakistan rank for rural population?
- Pakistan ranks 44th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.