Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sudan
Sudan: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 65.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Sudan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Sudan stood at 65.1%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sudan peaked at 88.3% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 65.1%, in 2025.
Sudan ranks 35th 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 Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 88.3% | — |
| 1961 | 87.6% | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 87.0% | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 86.4% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 85.8% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 85.1% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 84.6% | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 84.0% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 83.5% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 83.0% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 82.5% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 82.1% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 81.7% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 81.4% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 81.2% | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 81.0% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 80.8% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 80.7% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 80.5% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 80.4% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 80.2% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 80.0% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 79.7% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 79.3% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 78.6% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 77.4% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 76.0% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 74.5% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 72.9% | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 71.4% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 70.0% | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 69.0% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 68.3% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 68.0% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 68.0% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 67.9% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 67.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 67.8% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 67.6% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 67.6% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 67.6% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 67.6% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 67.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 67.3% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 67.1% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 66.9% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 66.6% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 66.2% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 65.9% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 65.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.7% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 65.6% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 65.3% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 65.2% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 65.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 65.1% | -0.1% |
Sudan compared with similar countries
- Sudan's 65.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 65.5%, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sudan's 65.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 85.5% | 83.0% | 88.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 81.2% | 80.4% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 77.0% | 71.4% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 68.2% | 67.7% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.6% | 67.4% | 67.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.3% | 65.5% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.2% | 65.1% | 65.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sudan
More agriculture & rural data for Sudan
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0025 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0004 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.4586 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 0.0023 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 2.68 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 60.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2936 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 341.88 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sudan?
- Rural population in Sudan was 65.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 88.3% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.1% in 2025.
- How does Sudan rank for rural population?
- Sudan ranks 35th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sudan 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.