Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 77.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
77.7%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
9th
of 218 countries
All-time high
92.0%
in 1960
All-time low
75.1%
in 2016
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Vanuatu, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Vanuatu recorded 77.7% for rural population in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Vanuatu peaked at 92.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 75.1%, in 2016.
Vanuatu ranks 9th of 218 countries on this measure, 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 92.0% | — |
| 1961 | 91.8% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 91.5% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 91.2% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 90.9% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 90.6% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 90.3% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 90.0% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 89.7% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 89.3% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 89.0% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 88.6% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 88.3% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 87.9% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 87.5% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 87.2% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 86.8% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 86.4% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 86.0% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 85.6% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 85.2% | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 84.8% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 84.4% | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 84.0% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 83.5% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 83.1% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 82.7% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 82.3% | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 81.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 81.6% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 81.2% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 80.9% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 80.6% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 80.3% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 80.0% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 79.8% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 79.5% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.2% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 78.9% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 78.6% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 78.3% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 78.1% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 77.8% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 77.5% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 77.3% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 77.0% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 76.7% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 76.4% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 76.1% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 75.7% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 75.3% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 75.2% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 75.2% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 75.2% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 75.1% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 75.1% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 75.1% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 75.2% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 75.7% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 76.5% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 77.6% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 77.7% | -0.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 77.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 77.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.6%, 2.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 90.7% | 89.3% | 92.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 87.3% | 85.6% | 89.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 83.3% | 81.6% | 85.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 79.9% | 78.6% | 81.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.1% | 75.7% | 78.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.4% | 75.1% | 76.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.7% | 77.6% | 77.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 6 Sri Lanka 79.5% compare
- 7 Tonga 78.8% compare
- 8 South Sudan 78.3% compare
- 10 Micronesia (country) 77.5% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 75.9% compare
- 12 Antigua and Barbuda 75.7% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Vanuatu
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % 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 0.4326 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0013 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.4669 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2663 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,054 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.21 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Vanuatu?
- Rural population in Vanuatu was 77.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 92.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.1% in 2016.
- How does Vanuatu rank for rural population?
- Vanuatu ranks 9th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.