Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in East Timor
East Timor: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 71.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
71.2%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
19th
of 218 countries
All-time high
89.9%
in 1960
All-time low
70.4%
in 2010
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in East Timor, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
East Timor recorded 71.2% for rural population in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in East Timor peaked at 89.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 70.4%, in 2010.
That places East Timor 19th out of 218 countries 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 East Timor, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 89.9% | — |
| 1961 | 89.9% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 89.8% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 89.7% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 89.5% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 89.3% | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 89.1% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 88.8% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 88.5% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 88.2% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 87.8% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 87.4% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 87.0% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 86.6% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 86.2% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 85.7% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 85.3% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 84.8% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 84.3% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 83.8% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 83.4% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 82.9% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 82.4% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 81.9% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 81.5% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 81.0% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 80.6% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 80.2% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 79.7% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 79.4% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 79.0% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 78.7% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 78.3% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 78.0% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 77.7% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 77.4% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 77.1% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 76.8% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 76.5% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 75.9% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 75.1% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 74.7% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 74.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 73.7% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 72.9% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 72.0% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 71.2% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 70.6% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 70.4% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 70.5% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 70.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 70.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 70.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 71.0% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 71.2% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 71.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 71.4% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 71.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 71.2% | -0.2% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 71.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 71.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.6%, 2.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.3% | 88.2% | 89.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 85.9% | 83.8% | 87.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 81.3% | 79.4% | 83.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.6% | 76.2% | 79.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.6% | 70.6% | 75.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.5% | 70.4% | 70.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.3% | 71.0% | 71.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More agriculture & rural data for East Timor
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0733 % 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 0.1345 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0411 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2403 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2016 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 268.53 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in East Timor?
- Rural population in East Timor was 71.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 89.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.4% in 2010.
- How does East Timor rank for rural population?
- East Timor ranks 19th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Timor 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.