Rural population by country

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.

Countries reporting
215
Highest
941.42 million
India
Lowest
0
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
Median
1.66 million
Years covered
66
1960–2025
Data points
17,394

What the numbers show

Rural population is currently reported for 215 countries. The highest value is 941.42 million in India; the lowest is 0 in Sint Maarten (Dutch part).

The median across all reporting countries is 1.66 million, and the mean is 16.09 million.

Over the past decade 118 countries rose and 85 fell. The largest increase was in Syria (up 51.9%), and the largest decrease in Netherlands (down 55.4%).

Rural population: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 India 941.42 million 2025 up 5.1% rising
2 China 473.41 million 2025 down 19.6% falling
3 Pakistan 154.34 million 2025 up 10.8% rising
4 Bangladesh 117.29 million 2025 up 4.4% rising
5 Indonesia 116.02 million 2025 down 5.4% rising
6 Ethiopia 102.81 million 2025 up 22.9% rising
7 Nigeria 86.04 million 2025 up 1.9% rising
8 United States 67.70 million 2025 up 8.3% rising
9 Egypt 67.58 million 2025 up 18.2% rising
10 Vietnam 62.15 million 2025 down 1.0% rising
11 Democratic Republic of Congo 61.93 million 2025 up 30.3% rising
12 Philippines 51.65 million 2025 up 0.4% rising
13 Tanzania 44.53 million 2025 up 24.4% rising
14 Kenya 39.00 million 2025 up 21.3% rising
15 Myanmar 38.08 million 2025 up 6.0% rising
16 Russia 35.52 million 2025 down 4.5% falling
17 Uganda 34.97 million 2025 up 24.2% rising
18 Sudan 33.61 million 2025 up 27.4% rising
19 Afghanistan 32.47 million 2025 up 27.1% rising
20 Thailand 26.64 million 2025 down 28.8% rising
21 Mexico 26.34 million 2025 down 4.6% rising
22 Yemen 26.30 million 2025 up 24.9% rising
23 Brazil 25.16 million 2025 down 12.8% falling
24 South Africa 23.43 million 2025 up 12.3% rising
25 Niger 22.79 million 2025 up 36.5% volatile
26 Mozambique 22.37 million 2025 up 24.2% rising
27 Madagascar 21.97 million 2025 up 22.0% rising
28 Iran 20.91 million 2025 down 5.0% rising
29 Malawi 18.31 million 2025 up 27.3% rising
30 Uzbekistan 18.15 million 2025 up 19.6% rising
31 Italy 17.86 million 2025 down 2.4% falling
32 Sri Lanka 17.31 million 2025 up 1.6% rising
33 Burkina Faso 17.11 million 2025 up 22.5% rising
34 Mali 17.08 million 2025 up 23.9% rising
35 Chad 15.21 million 2025 up 34.5% volatile
36 Germany 14.91 million 2025 down 5.4% falling
37 Cote d'Ivoire 14.87 million 2025 up 16.5% rising
38 Poland 14.54 million 2025 down 3.5% flat
39 France 14.54 million 2025 down 1.8% falling
40 Ghana 14.40 million 2025 up 8.2% rising
41 Morocco 14.17 million 2025 up 4.0% rising
42 Iraq 14.13 million 2025 up 25.1% rising
43 Cameroon 13.25 million 2025 up 22.9% rising
44 Ukraine 11.85 million 2025 down 16.1% falling
45 Zambia 11.85 million 2025 up 24.5% rising
46 United Kingdom 11.59 million 2025 down 2.0% falling
47 Algeria 11.47 million 2025 down 4.0% rising
48 Colombia 11.34 million 2025 up 5.7% rising
49 Angola 11.14 million 2025 up 8.5% rising
50 Burundi 10.69 million 2025 up 13.4% rising
51 Cambodia 10.51 million 2025 down 3.8% rising
52 Zimbabwe 10.09 million 2025 up 5.4% rising
53 Rwanda 10.07 million 2025 up 5.7% rising
54 Nepal 9.77 million 2025 up 0.2% falling
55 South Korea 9.73 million 2025 up 3.9% falling
56 Spain 9.62 million 2025 down 0.2% falling
57 South Sudan 9.55 million 2025 up 5.8% rising
58 North Korea 9.52 million 2025 down 3.8% rising
59 Japan 9.50 million 2025 down 13.6% falling
60 Guinea 9.28 million 2025 up 21.4% rising
61 Romania 9.10 million 2025 down 0.8% falling
62 Papua New Guinea 9.06 million 2025 up 19.5% volatile
63 Turkey 9.02 million 2025 down 9.8% falling
64 Somalia 8.82 million 2025 up 13.8% rising
65 Senegal 8.37 million 2025 up 6.8% rising
66 Guatemala 8.17 million 2025 up 9.8% rising
67 Malaysia 8.13 million 2025 down 2.0% rising
68 Tajikistan 7.96 million 2025 up 25.3% rising
69 Kazakhstan 7.84 million 2025 down 1.2% rising
70 Syria 7.15 million 2025 up 51.9% rising
71 Canada 7.13 million 2025 up 6.5% rising
72 Benin 6.91 million 2025 up 12.5% rising
73 Ecuador 6.70 million 2025 up 11.1% rising
74 Saudi Arabia 5.69 million 2025 up 12.0% rising
75 Haiti 5.28 million 2025 down 0.7% rising
76 Peru 4.98 million 2025 down 15.3% flat
77 Kyrgyzstan 4.79 million 2025 up 22.2% rising
78 Togo 4.78 million 2025 up 12.1% rising
79 Sierra Leone 4.77 million 2025 up 14.4% rising
80 Laos 4.70 million 2025 up 3.3% rising
81 Honduras 4.48 million 2025 up 6.4% rising
82 Azerbaijan 4.24 million 2025 down 2.0% rising
83 Portugal 4.16 million 2025 up 3.4% falling
84 Turkmenistan 4.03 million 2025 up 22.4% rising
85 Tunisia 3.62 million 2025 down 1.2% rising
86 Bolivia 3.58 million 2025 up 2.8% rising
87 Argentina 3.51 million 2025 down 5.2% falling
88 Australia 3.39 million 2025 up 8.5% rising
89 Dominican Republic 3.17 million 2025 up 17.3% rising
90 Central African Republic 3.06 million 2025 up 10.0% rising
91 Venezuela 3.05 million 2025 down 9.8% flat
92 Czechia 2.95 million 2025 up 3.9% falling
93 Nicaragua 2.84 million 2025 up 9.6% rising
94 Austria 2.79 million 2025 down 0.5% falling
95 Hungary 2.79 million 2025 down 3.6% falling
96 Slovakia 2.53 million 2025 up 1.3% falling
97 Liberia 2.52 million 2025 up 9.7% rising
98 Cuba 2.49 million 2025 down 4.5% falling
99 Serbia 2.45 million 2025 down 13.5% falling
100 Eritrea 2.36 million 2025 up 18.0% rising
101 Congo 2.33 million 2025 up 23.8% rising
102 Greece 2.16 million 2025 down 11.1% falling
103 Chile 2.15 million 2025 down 5.0% falling
104 Paraguay 2.08 million 2025 down 12.8% rising
105 Mauritania 2.05 million 2025 up 6.8% rising
106 Ireland 1.94 million 2025 up 10.6% rising
107 Belarus 1.86 million 2025 down 15.7% falling
108 Bulgaria 1.66 million 2025 down 11.6% falling
109 Croatia 1.64 million 2025 down 11.3% falling
110 United Arab Emirates 1.62 million 2025 up 21.3% volatile
111 El Salvador 1.56 million 2025 down 16.8% falling
112 Panama 1.55 million 2025 up 13.4% rising
113 Georgia 1.53 million 2025 down 3.8% falling
114 Namibia 1.52 million 2025 up 17.5% rising
115 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.49 million 2025 down 19.5% falling
116 Belgium 1.47 million 2025 down 5.2% falling
117 Finland 1.44 million 2025 down 8.5% falling
118 Moldova 1.33 million 2025 down 22.3% flat
119 Lesotho 1.31 million 2025 down 5.7% rising
120 Switzerland 1.30 million 2025 down 35.8% falling
121 Guinea-Bissau 1.20 million 2025 up 16.1% rising
122 Sweden 1.16 million 2025 down 11.8% falling
123 Jamaica 1.15 million 2025 down 8.3% rising
124 Oman 1.13 million 2025 up 18.7% rising
125 Armenia 1.05 million 2025 down 1.4% rising
126 Costa Rica 1.04 million 2025 down 13.2% rising
127 Mongolia 1.03 million 2025 up 6.3% rising
128 East Timor 1.01 million 2025 up 18.9% rising
129 Gambia 988,057 2025 up 9.0% rising
130 Albania 966,348 2025 down 21.1% falling
131 Slovenia 937,832 2025 down 1.9% falling
132 Norway 921,833 2025 down 5.3% falling
133 Eswatini 920,507 2025 up 5.0% rising
134 Libya 901,647 2025 up 13.3% falling
135 Lithuania 893,162 2025 down 6.4% falling
136 Israel 852,511 2025 up 22.6% rising
137 New Zealand 852,066 2025 up 24.5% rising
138 Botswana 821,007 2025 up 7.7% rising
139 Jordan 782,426 2025 down 18.9% rising
140 Mauritius 758,222 2025 down 0.5% rising
141 Netherlands 734,613 2025 down 55.4% falling
142 Palestine 683,093 2025 up 8.2% falling
143 North Macedonia 675,721 2025 down 13.7% falling
144 Denmark 670,272 2025 down 3.9% falling
145 Trinidad and Tobago 629,587 2025 up 1.2% flat
146 Guyana 614,522 2025 up 10.0% rising
147 Comoros 583,195 2025 up 15.3% rising
148 Latvia 579,603 2025 down 8.7% falling
149 Solomon Islands 576,071 2025 up 18.0% rising
150 Equatorial Guinea 550,978 2025 up 22.1% rising
151 Lebanon 528,774 2025 down 28.2% falling
152 Cyprus 456,529 2025 up 13.6% rising
153 Bhutan 450,682 2025 down 3.9% rising
154 Estonia 400,092 2025 down 3.5% falling
155 Fiji 377,513 2025 down 9.4% rising
156 Djibouti 319,986 2025 up 8.2% volatile
157 Maldives 304,531 2025 up 15.8% rising
158 Vanuatu 260,353 2025 up 30.2% rising
159 Belize 247,148 2025 up 23.7% volatile
160 Suriname 218,901 2025 up 11.3% rising
161 Montenegro 214,303 2025 down 2.5% falling
162 Gabon 205,177 2025 down 15.6% falling
163 Samoa 180,913 2025 up 11.0% rising
164 Puerto Rico 180,246 2025 down 17.8% volatile
165 Uruguay 147,108 2025 down 11.2% falling
166 Saint Lucia 127,732 2025 down 8.7% rising
167 Cape Verde 117,962 2025 down 30.4% falling
168 Brunei 116,531 2025 up 10.2% rising
169 Barbados 113,898 2025 up 0.2% falling
170 French Polynesia 108,019 2025 up 1.6% rising
171 New Caledonia 93,999 2025 up 0.1% rising
172 Micronesia (country) 88,126 2025 up 4.3% rising
173 Tonga 81,794 2025 up 0.4% rising
174 Bahamas 75,243 2025 up 10.0% rising
175 Grenada 74,287 2025 up 1.1% rising
176 Sao Tome and Principe 74,065 2025 up 13.4% rising
177 Antigua and Barbuda 71,285 2025 up 6.3% rising
178 Seychelles 66,909 2025 up 25.9% rising
179 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 51,979 2025 down 8.9% flat
180 Kiribati 49,975 2025 down 12.8% rising
181 Aruba 41,612 2025 up 4.9% rising
182 Isle of Man 40,262 2025 up 0.6% rising
183 Luxembourg 35,144 2025 down 31.5% falling
184 Liechtenstein 35,022 2025 up 9.2% rising
185 Faroe Islands 33,136 2025 up 9.6% rising
186 Saint Kitts and Nevis 31,954 2025 down 1.3% flat
187 Malta 25,040 2025 up 1.4% falling
188 Iceland 22,689 2025 up 9.3% falling
189 Qatar 19,042 2025 down 23.5% falling
190 Dominica 17,136 2025 down 19.2% falling
191 British Virgin Islands 16,928 2025 down 2.9% rising
192 Curacao 13,325 2025 down 2.8% falling
193 Guam 9,769 2025 up 0.1% falling
194 Andorra 9,161 2025 up 10.5% rising
195 American Samoa 8,970 2025 up 10.6% falling
196 Marshall Islands 7,581 2025 down 36.7% rising
197 Greenland 6,494 2025 down 17.1% falling
198 United States Virgin Islands 4,786 2025 down 12.2% volatile
199 Palau 3,659 2025 up 5.0% falling
200 Northern Mariana Islands 3,406 2025 down 23.8% rising
201 Tuvalu 3,280 2025 down 27.2% falling
202 Turks and Caicos Islands 2,626 2025 down 11.7% flat
203 San Marino 959 2025 up 0.5% volatile
204 Bahrain 0 2025 volatile
204 Bermuda 0 2025 volatile
204 Cayman Islands 0 2025 flat
204 Gibraltar 0 2025 flat
204 Hong Kong 0 2025 volatile
204 Kuwait 0 2025 volatile
204 Macao 0 2025 volatile
204 Saint Martin (French part) 0 2025 flat
204 Monaco 0 2025 flat
204 Nauru 0 2025 flat
204 Singapore 0 2025 flat
204 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 0 2025 flat

Regions and income groups

Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.

About this data

Indicator
Rural population
Source
World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
264 places, 17,394 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.