Rural population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Rural population growth was -0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Central Europe and the Baltics recorded -0.5% for rural population growth in 2025.
The figure is down 38.6% on the previous year and down 67.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at -0.0% in 1994 and was at its lowest, -1.6%, in 1980.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.3% | -0.6% | -0.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.8% | -0.9% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.6% | -1.6% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2% | -0.5% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.5% | -1.0% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2% | -0.6% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -0.8% | -0.2% | 6 |
More agriculture & rural data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.2% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
- Rural population 38.1% (2025)
- Rural population 38.02 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.4% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 67.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Land under cereal production 3.02 million hectares (2024)
- Cereal yield 5,647 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal production 17.05 million metric tons (2024)
- Fertilizer consumption 118.94 kilograms per hectare of arable land (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Rural population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics was -0.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was -0.0% in 1994.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.6% in 1980.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is down 67.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. 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.