Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Palestine
Palestine: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 12.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Palestine, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Palestine is 12.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Palestine peaked at 55.8% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 2025.
That places Palestine 176th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom 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 Palestine, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 55.8% | — |
| 1961 | 55.0% | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 54.1% | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 53.1% | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 52.0% | -2.0% |
| 1965 | 50.9% | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 49.7% | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 48.5% | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 47.3% | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 46.1% | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 45.0% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 43.9% | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 42.9% | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 41.9% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 41.1% | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 40.4% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 39.8% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 39.3% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 38.8% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 38.3% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 37.9% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 37.6% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 37.2% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 36.9% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 36.6% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 36.3% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 35.9% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 35.6% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 35.3% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 35.0% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 34.7% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 34.3% | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 33.5% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 33.0% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 32.5% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 31.3% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 30.5% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 29.4% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 27.9% | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 26.3% | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 24.5% | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | -7.3% |
| 2004 | 21.0% | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 18.2% | -6.4% |
| 2007 | 17.4% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 16.5% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 16.1% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 15.8% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 15.2% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 15.0% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 14.8% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 14.7% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 14.5% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 13.9% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 13.7% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 13.4% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 13.1% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 12.9% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 12.6% | -2.0% |
Palestine compared with similar countries
- Palestine's 12.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.1%, 26% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Palestine's 12.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 20.5%, 61% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.3% | 46.1% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 41.1% | 38.3% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.4% | 35.0% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.5% | 29.4% | 34.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.1% | 16.5% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 14.2% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.3% | 12.6% | 13.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Palestine
More agriculture & rural data for Palestine
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0552 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 167.17 current US$ per person (2024)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2685 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1262 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 5.5% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 5.5% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Palestine?
- Rural population in Palestine was 12.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Palestine?
- The highest recorded value was 55.8% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Palestine?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 2025.
- How does Palestine rank for rural population?
- Palestine ranks 176th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Palestine?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Palestine 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.