Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Tuvalu
Tuvalu: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 34.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Tuvalu, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Tuvalu is 34.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Tuvalu peaked at 87.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 34.6%, in 2025.
That places Tuvalu 113th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Tuvalu, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 87.6% | — |
| 1961 | 87.6% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 87.5% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 87.4% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 87.2% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 86.9% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 86.5% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 86.1% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 85.8% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 85.6% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 85.5% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 85.5% | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 85.4% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 85.3% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 84.8% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 82.7% | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 79.5% | -3.8% |
| 1977 | 76.0% | -4.4% |
| 1978 | 72.9% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 71.0% | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 69.8% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 68.9% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 68.1% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 67.4% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 66.7% | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 65.8% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 64.8% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 63.6% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 62.5% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 61.4% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 60.3% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 59.4% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 58.0% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 57.5% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 56.9% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 56.4% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 56.0% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 55.5% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 55.0% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 54.5% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 53.9% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 53.3% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 52.5% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 51.6% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 50.6% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 49.5% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 47.2% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 46.0% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 44.9% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 44.0% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 43.1% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 41.7% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 41.1% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 40.5% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 40.0% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 39.4% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 38.8% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 38.1% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 37.4% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 36.7% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 36.0% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 35.3% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 34.6% | -2.0% |
Tuvalu compared with similar countries
- Tuvalu's 34.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.0× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Tuvalu's 34.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.6%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 86.8% | 85.6% | 87.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 80.9% | 71.0% | 85.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.9% | 61.4% | 69.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 57.4% | 55.0% | 60.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.7% | 46.0% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.6% | 38.8% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.3% | 34.6% | 38.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tuvalu
More agriculture & rural data for Tuvalu
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -17.15 % change on previous year (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1594 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 534.44 current US$ per person (2015)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -3.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3456 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 15.9% (2015)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 15.9% (2015)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2008)
- Rural population growth -3.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Tuvalu?
- Rural population in Tuvalu was 34.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Tuvalu?
- The highest recorded value was 87.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Tuvalu?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.6% in 2025.
- How does Tuvalu rank for rural population?
- Tuvalu ranks 113th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Tuvalu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tuvalu 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.