Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 64.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) is 64.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 83.7% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 64.2%, in 2025.
That places South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 83.7% | — |
| 1961 | 83.6% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 83.5% | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 83.3% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 83.1% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 83.0% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 82.8% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 82.6% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 82.4% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 82.1% | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 81.9% | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 81.6% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 81.3% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 80.9% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 80.5% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 80.1% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 79.6% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 79.1% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 78.5% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 78.1% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 77.7% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 77.3% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 77.1% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 76.8% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 76.3% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 76.1% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 75.9% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 75.7% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 75.5% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 75.3% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 75.1% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 74.8% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 74.6% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 74.4% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 74.2% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 74.0% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 73.7% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 73.5% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 73.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 73.0% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 72.7% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 72.3% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 72.0% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 71.6% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 71.2% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 70.8% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 70.3% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 69.9% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 69.5% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 69.0% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 68.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 68.3% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 68.0% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 67.7% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 67.4% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 67.0% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 66.7% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.1% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 65.8% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 65.5% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 64.9% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 64.5% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 64.2% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 83.0% | 82.1% | 83.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 80.2% | 78.1% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 76.5% | 75.5% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 74.3% | 73.2% | 75.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.3% | 69.5% | 73.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.5% | 66.1% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.0% | 64.2% | 65.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- 1 Liechtenstein 85.4% compare
- 2 Papua New Guinea 84.2% compare
- 3 Samoa 82.5% compare
- 4 Malawi 82.4% compare
- 5 Niger 81.6% compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.3704 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6421 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 714.12 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 1.09 billion (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 15.6% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 421.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Rural population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 64.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 83.7% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.2% in 2025.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for rural population?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.
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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.