Rural population in Samoa
Samoa: Rural population was 180,913 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Rural population in Samoa, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, rural population in Samoa stood at 180,913. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Samoa peaked at 180,913 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 91,238, in 1960.
Samoa ranks 165th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Samoa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 91,238 | — |
| 1961 | 93,611 | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 96,044 | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 98,526 | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 100,967 | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 103,351 | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 105,716 | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 107,686 | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 109,162 | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 110,519 | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 111,833 | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 113,181 | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 114,579 | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 115,962 | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 118,107 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 121,068 | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 123,953 | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 125,981 | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 127,215 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 128,366 | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 129,475 | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 130,530 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 131,221 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 131,657 | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 132,075 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 132,451 | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 132,816 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 133,273 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 133,633 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 133,692 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 133,607 | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 133,610 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 134,176 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 135,122 | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 136,018 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 136,935 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 137,928 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 138,915 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 139,831 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 140,782 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 141,800 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 142,915 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 143,992 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 145,042 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 146,153 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 147,273 | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 148,371 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 149,692 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 151,318 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 153,010 | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 154,746 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 156,515 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 158,223 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 159,831 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 161,405 | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 162,971 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 164,577 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 166,457 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 168,714 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 171,150 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 173,685 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 176,224 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 177,589 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 178,744 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 179,859 | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 180,913 | +0.6% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 180,913 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.53 million, 12% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 180,913 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 377,513, 48% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 101,682 | 91,238 | 110,519 | 10 |
| 1970s | 120,024 | 111,833 | 128,366 | 10 |
| 1980s | 132,082 | 129,475 | 133,692 | 10 |
| 1990s | 136,692 | 133,607 | 140,782 | 10 |
| 2000s | 146,957 | 141,800 | 153,010 | 10 |
| 2010s | 162,459 | 154,746 | 171,150 | 10 |
| 2020s | 177,836 | 173,685 | 180,913 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
- 162 Suriname 218,901 compare
- 163 Montenegro 214,303 compare
- 164 Gabon 205,177 compare
- 166 Puerto Rico 180,246 compare
- 167 Uruguay 147,108 compare
- 168 Saint Lucia 127,732 compare
More agriculture & rural data for Samoa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0909 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 533.81 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.586 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8249 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 9.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 9.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Samoa?
- Rural population in Samoa was 180,913 in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 180,913 in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 91,238 in 1960.
- How does Samoa rank for rural population?
- Samoa ranks 165th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Samoa 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.