Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 79.5% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
79.5%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
6th
of 218 countries
All-time high
85.4%
in 2001
All-time low
77.6%
in 1972
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Sri Lanka, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Sri Lanka is 79.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sri Lanka peaked at 85.4% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 77.6%, in 1972.
That places Sri Lanka 6th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 82.4% | — |
| 1961 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 81.1% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 80.7% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 80.2% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 79.6% | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 79.0% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 78.5% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 78.0% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 77.7% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 77.6% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 77.6% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 77.6% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 77.7% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 77.8% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 77.9% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 78.0% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 78.1% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 78.2% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 78.4% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 78.5% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 78.7% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 79.0% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 79.3% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 79.7% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 80.1% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 80.5% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 81.0% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 81.4% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 81.9% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 82.4% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 82.9% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 83.3% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 83.7% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 84.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 84.5% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 84.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 85.1% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 85.3% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 85.4% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 85.4% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 85.4% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 85.3% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 85.1% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 84.8% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 84.5% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 84.1% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 83.7% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 83.3% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 82.8% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 82.2% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 81.7% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 81.6% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 81.4% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 81.2% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 81.0% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 80.8% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 80.7% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 80.5% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 80.3% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 80.2% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 80.0% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 79.9% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 79.7% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 79.5% | -0.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 79.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 2.3× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 79.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 60.9%, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.3% | 78.0% | 82.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 77.8% | 77.6% | 78.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 79.7% | 78.4% | 81.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 83.8% | 81.9% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.7% | 83.3% | 85.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.4% | 80.5% | 82.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.9% | 79.5% | 80.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More agriculture & rural data for Sri Lanka
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0051 % 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 0.109 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0043 % 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 0.1293 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0836 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 418.3 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9172 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sri Lanka?
- Rural population in Sri Lanka was 79.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 85.4% in 2001.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.6% in 1972.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for rural population?
- Sri Lanka ranks 6th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.