World Rural Population 1960-2021
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 2019 was 3,397,467,990, a 0.07% increase from 2018.
- World rural population for 2018 was 3,395,021,128, a 0.1% increase from 2017.
- World rural population for 2017 was 3,391,543,054, a 0.14% increase from 2016.
- World rural population for 2016 was 3,386,853,324, a 0.16% increase from 2015.
| Similar Country Ranking |
| Country Name |
Rural Population |
| World |
3,397,467,990 |
| South Asia |
1,203,683,978 |
| East Asia & Pacific |
938,907,166 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa |
656,284,579 |
| OECD members |
261,050,799 |
| Latin America & Caribbean |
123,651,343 |
| European Union |
113,088,432 |
| Euro Area |
78,051,682 |
| North America |
64,537,275 |
| World Rural Population - Historical Data |
| Year |
Population |
% of Total |
Change |
| 2019 |
3,397,467,990 |
44.29 |
0.07% |
| 2018 |
3,395,021,128 |
44.73 |
0.10% |
| 2017 |
3,391,543,054 |
45.18 |
0.14% |
| 2016 |
3,386,853,324 |
45.63 |
0.16% |
| 2015 |
3,381,376,596 |
46.09 |
0.18% |
| 2014 |
3,375,406,112 |
46.54 |
0.21% |
| 2013 |
3,368,457,505 |
46.99 |
0.22% |
| 2012 |
3,360,960,421 |
47.44 |
0.23% |
| 2011 |
3,353,217,398 |
47.90 |
0.21% |
| 2010 |
3,346,105,703 |
48.35 |
0.17% |
| 2009 |
3,340,312,853 |
48.85 |
0.20% |
| 2008 |
3,333,719,727 |
49.35 |
0.21% |
| 2007 |
3,326,573,653 |
49.86 |
0.25% |
| 2006 |
3,318,341,274 |
50.35 |
0.25% |
| 2005 |
3,310,170,114 |
50.85 |
0.24% |
| 2004 |
3,302,116,965 |
51.36 |
0.27% |
| 2003 |
3,293,322,180 |
51.86 |
0.29% |
| 2002 |
3,283,742,679 |
52.36 |
0.32% |
| 2001 |
3,273,211,804 |
52.86 |
0.45% |
| 2000 |
3,258,670,383 |
53.31 |
0.60% |
| 1999 |
3,239,086,647 |
53.69 |
0.66% |
| 1998 |
3,217,928,623 |
54.06 |
0.71% |
| 1997 |
3,195,320,757 |
54.43 |
0.75% |
| 1996 |
3,171,418,304 |
54.80 |
0.79% |
| 1995 |
3,146,585,720 |
55.16 |
0.82% |
| 1994 |
3,120,891,522 |
55.53 |
0.86% |
| 1993 |
3,094,133,812 |
55.90 |
0.91% |
| 1992 |
3,066,381,332 |
56.26 |
0.95% |
| 1991 |
3,037,418,857 |
56.60 |
1.01% |
| 1990 |
3,007,043,941 |
56.97 |
1.09% |
| 1989 |
2,974,595,195 |
57.33 |
1.11% |
| 1988 |
2,941,853,992 |
57.69 |
1.13% |
| 1987 |
2,908,954,683 |
58.05 |
1.15% |
| 1986 |
2,875,978,466 |
58.42 |
1.14% |
| 1985 |
2,843,599,316 |
58.78 |
1.13% |
| 1984 |
2,811,850,862 |
59.14 |
1.14% |
| 1983 |
2,780,275,875 |
59.50 |
1.19% |
| 1982 |
2,747,453,623 |
59.85 |
1.16% |
| 1981 |
2,716,047,843 |
60.23 |
1.06% |
| 1980 |
2,687,673,656 |
60.65 |
1.06% |
| 1979 |
2,659,384,865 |
61.06 |
1.09% |
| 1978 |
2,630,649,687 |
61.47 |
1.20% |
| 1977 |
2,599,580,835 |
61.80 |
1.32% |
| 1976 |
2,565,598,452 |
62.06 |
1.38% |
| 1975 |
2,530,762,933 |
62.31 |
1.49% |
| 1974 |
2,493,594,737 |
62.54 |
1.50% |
| 1973 |
2,456,679,993 |
62.81 |
1.60% |
| 1972 |
2,418,101,312 |
63.04 |
1.70% |
| 1971 |
2,377,766,673 |
63.25 |
1.81% |
| 1970 |
2,335,541,348 |
63.44 |
1.79% |
| 1969 |
2,294,522,502 |
63.63 |
1.79% |
| 1968 |
2,254,259,763 |
63.83 |
1.72% |
| 1967 |
2,216,228,334 |
64.03 |
1.71% |
| 1966 |
2,178,882,828 |
64.24 |
1.80% |
| 1965 |
2,140,438,784 |
64.43 |
1.71% |
| 1964 |
2,104,525,587 |
64.66 |
1.44% |
| 1963 |
2,074,712,821 |
65.05 |
1.48% |
| 1962 |
2,044,462,012 |
65.43 |
1.04% |
| 1961 |
2,023,384,765 |
65.88 |
0.57% |
| 1960 |
2,011,912,701 |
66.39 |
% |
