Rural population in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Rural population was 102.81 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
102.81 million
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
6th
of 218 countries
All-time high
102.81 million
in 2025
All-time low
19.86 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Ethiopia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 102.81 million for rural population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Ethiopia peaked at 102.81 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 19.86 million, in 1960.
Ethiopia ranks 6th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 19.86 million | — |
| 1961 | 20.32 million | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 20.81 million | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 21.32 million | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 21.85 million | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 22.41 million | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 22.97 million | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 23.55 million | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 24.16 million | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 24.80 million | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 25.45 million | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 26.10 million | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 26.76 million | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 27.43 million | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 28.10 million | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 28.73 million | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 29.41 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 29.92 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 30.37 million | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 30.75 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 30.86 million | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 31.57 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 32.74 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 33.59 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 34.40 million | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 35.29 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 36.24 million | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 37.39 million | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 38.76 million | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 40.15 million | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 41.53 million | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 43.24 million | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 44.97 million | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 46.45 million | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 47.98 million | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 49.55 million | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 51.08 million | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 52.62 million | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 54.17 million | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 55.76 million | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 57.35 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 58.98 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 60.65 million | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 62.36 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 64.09 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 65.84 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 67.62 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 69.73 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 71.18 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 72.91 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 74.70 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 76.51 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 78.36 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 80.11 million | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 81.88 million | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 83.66 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 85.51 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 87.39 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 89.25 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 91.14 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 93.20 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 95.14 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 96.88 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 99.02 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 100.86 million | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 102.81 million | +1.9% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 102.81 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.21 million, 6.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 102.81 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.41 million, 10.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.20 million | 19.86 million | 24.80 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 28.30 million | 25.45 million | 30.75 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.10 million | 30.86 million | 40.15 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.73 million | 41.53 million | 55.76 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.07 million | 57.35 million | 72.91 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.85 million | 74.70 million | 91.14 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 97.98 million | 93.20 million | 102.81 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More agriculture & rural data for Ethiopia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -20.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3282 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 306.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 32.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 32.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Ethiopia?
- Rural population in Ethiopia was 102.81 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 102.81 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.86 million in 1960.
- How does Ethiopia rank for rural population?
- Ethiopia ranks 6th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.