World Rural Population 1960-2024
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.
- World rural population for 2023 was 3,422,928,507, a 0.1% decline from 2022.
- World rural population for 2022 was 3,426,206,481, a 0.19% decline from 2021.
- World rural population for 2021 was 3,432,633,260, a 0.08% decline from 2020.
- World rural population for 2020 was 3,435,495,982, a 0.03% increase from 2019.
| Similar Country Ranking |
| Country Name |
Rural Population |
| World |
3,422,928,507 |
| South Asia |
1,234,617,651 |
| East Asia & Pacific |
881,128,740 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa |
708,996,518 |
| OECD members |
253,665,277 |
| Latin America & Caribbean |
120,415,677 |
| European Union |
109,165,675 |
| Euro Area |
77,195,067 |
| North America |
63,210,418 |
| World Rural Population - Historical Data |
| Year |
Population |
% of Total |
Change |
| 2023 |
3,422,928,507 |
42.66 |
-0.10% |
| 2022 |
3,426,206,481 |
43.10 |
-0.19% |
| 2021 |
3,432,633,260 |
43.52 |
-0.08% |
| 2020 |
3,435,495,982 |
43.94 |
0.03% |
| 2019 |
3,434,591,161 |
44.37 |
0.07% |
| 2018 |
3,432,335,519 |
44.81 |
0.11% |
| 2017 |
3,428,659,588 |
45.26 |
0.15% |
| 2016 |
3,423,582,257 |
45.71 |
0.17% |
| 2015 |
3,417,904,529 |
46.17 |
0.19% |
| 2014 |
3,411,594,475 |
46.64 |
0.24% |
| 2013 |
3,403,560,909 |
47.09 |
0.28% |
| 2012 |
3,394,068,617 |
47.54 |
0.31% |
| 2011 |
3,383,495,136 |
47.98 |
0.28% |
| 2010 |
3,374,201,360 |
48.42 |
0.21% |
| 2009 |
3,367,065,471 |
48.91 |
0.22% |
| 2008 |
3,359,787,624 |
49.41 |
0.22% |
| 2007 |
3,352,373,851 |
49.92 |
0.25% |
| 2006 |
3,343,967,295 |
50.41 |
0.26% |
| 2005 |
3,335,206,187 |
50.91 |
0.27% |
| 2004 |
3,326,258,855 |
51.42 |
0.30% |
| 2003 |
3,316,251,948 |
51.92 |
0.34% |
| 2002 |
3,305,022,592 |
52.41 |
0.38% |
| 2001 |
3,292,632,591 |
52.90 |
0.49% |
| 2000 |
3,276,590,093 |
53.34 |
0.64% |
| 1999 |
3,255,852,737 |
53.72 |
0.69% |
| 1998 |
3,233,586,837 |
54.09 |
0.73% |
| 1997 |
3,210,004,820 |
54.46 |
0.78% |
| 1996 |
3,185,075,930 |
54.83 |
0.82% |
| 1995 |
3,159,036,336 |
55.18 |
0.84% |
| 1994 |
3,132,644,541 |
55.54 |
0.88% |
| 1993 |
3,105,299,927 |
55.90 |
0.93% |
| 1992 |
3,076,592,499 |
56.26 |
0.97% |
| 1991 |
3,046,930,445 |
56.63 |
1.03% |
| 1990 |
3,015,951,177 |
57.00 |
1.11% |
| 1989 |
2,982,906,394 |
57.36 |
1.12% |
| 1988 |
2,950,001,799 |
57.71 |
1.13% |
| 1987 |
2,917,033,575 |
58.08 |
1.15% |
| 1986 |
2,883,887,508 |
58.45 |
1.14% |
| 1985 |
2,851,340,118 |
58.81 |
1.13% |
| 1984 |
2,819,351,212 |
59.17 |
1.14% |
| 1983 |
2,787,635,724 |
59.52 |
1.20% |
| 1982 |
2,754,517,175 |
59.87 |
1.17% |
| 1981 |
2,722,679,659 |
60.24 |
1.06% |
| 1980 |
2,694,239,077 |
60.67 |
1.06% |
| 1979 |
2,665,874,645 |
61.08 |
1.10% |
| 1978 |
2,636,814,591 |
61.49 |
1.20% |
| 1977 |
2,605,496,407 |
61.82 |
1.32% |
| 1976 |
2,571,572,486 |
62.09 |
1.37% |
| 1975 |
2,536,825,022 |
62.35 |
1.48% |
| 1974 |
2,499,872,294 |
62.58 |
1.51% |
| 1973 |
2,462,770,561 |
62.85 |
1.61% |
| 1972 |
2,423,730,946 |
63.08 |
1.66% |
| 1971 |
2,384,038,046 |
63.29 |
1.78% |
| 1970 |
2,342,292,204 |
63.49 |
1.79% |
| 1969 |
2,301,148,668 |
63.68 |
1.79% |
| 1968 |
2,260,742,254 |
63.88 |
1.74% |
| 1967 |
2,222,101,628 |
64.09 |
1.72% |
| 1966 |
2,184,556,338 |
64.30 |
1.80% |
| 1965 |
2,146,012,318 |
64.50 |
1.74% |
| 1964 |
2,109,406,396 |
64.72 |
1.50% |
| 1963 |
2,078,318,202 |
65.10 |
1.54% |
| 1962 |
2,046,772,381 |
65.48 |
1.10% |
| 1961 |
2,024,407,072 |
65.91 |
0.61% |
| 1960 |
2,012,191,086 |
66.40 |
% |
