World Rural Population 1960-2023
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 2021 was 3,401,483,101, a 0.03% decline from 2020.
- World rural population for 2020 was 3,402,526,512, a 0.03% increase from 2019.
- World rural population for 2019 was 3,401,397,750, a 0.06% increase from 2018.
- World rural population for 2018 was 3,399,268,298, a 0.1% increase from 2017.
| Similar Country Ranking |
| Country Name |
Rural Population |
| World |
3,401,483,101 |
| South Asia |
1,214,195,771 |
| East Asia & Pacific |
912,424,958 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa |
678,421,501 |
| OECD members |
258,158,568 |
| Latin America & Caribbean |
122,600,284 |
| European Union |
110,874,382 |
| Euro Area |
76,394,998 |
| North America |
63,860,455 |
| World Rural Population - Historical Data |
| Year |
Population |
% of Total |
Change |
| 2021 |
3,401,483,101 |
43.42 |
-0.03% |
| 2020 |
3,402,526,512 |
43.84 |
0.03% |
| 2019 |
3,401,397,750 |
44.28 |
0.06% |
| 2018 |
3,399,268,298 |
44.72 |
0.10% |
| 2017 |
3,395,770,544 |
45.17 |
0.15% |
| 2016 |
3,390,847,113 |
45.63 |
0.17% |
| 2015 |
3,385,230,743 |
46.08 |
0.19% |
| 2014 |
3,378,873,012 |
46.54 |
0.23% |
| 2013 |
3,371,199,704 |
46.99 |
0.25% |
| 2012 |
3,362,636,703 |
47.45 |
0.27% |
| 2011 |
3,353,658,726 |
47.90 |
0.23% |
| 2010 |
3,346,098,292 |
48.35 |
0.17% |
| 2009 |
3,340,304,403 |
48.85 |
0.20% |
| 2008 |
3,333,755,606 |
49.35 |
0.22% |
| 2007 |
3,326,564,331 |
49.86 |
0.25% |
| 2006 |
3,318,331,550 |
50.35 |
0.25% |
| 2005 |
3,310,160,129 |
50.85 |
0.24% |
| 2004 |
3,302,106,624 |
51.36 |
0.27% |
| 2003 |
3,293,311,000 |
51.86 |
0.29% |
| 2002 |
3,283,730,657 |
52.36 |
0.32% |
| 2001 |
3,273,208,448 |
52.86 |
0.45% |
| 2000 |
3,258,666,866 |
53.31 |
0.60% |
| 1999 |
3,239,083,612 |
53.69 |
0.66% |
| 1998 |
3,217,927,851 |
54.06 |
0.71% |
| 1997 |
3,195,320,043 |
54.43 |
0.75% |
| 1996 |
3,171,418,327 |
54.80 |
0.79% |
| 1995 |
3,146,593,138 |
55.16 |
0.82% |
| 1994 |
3,120,961,611 |
55.53 |
0.86% |
| 1993 |
3,094,221,058 |
55.89 |
0.91% |
| 1992 |
3,066,425,436 |
56.26 |
0.95% |
| 1991 |
3,037,429,273 |
56.60 |
1.01% |
| 1990 |
3,007,038,178 |
56.97 |
1.09% |
| 1989 |
2,974,584,483 |
57.33 |
1.11% |
| 1988 |
2,941,846,007 |
57.69 |
1.13% |
| 1987 |
2,908,949,547 |
58.05 |
1.15% |
| 1986 |
2,875,976,196 |
58.42 |
1.14% |
| 1985 |
2,843,618,667 |
58.78 |
1.13% |
| 1984 |
2,811,866,065 |
59.14 |
1.14% |
| 1983 |
2,780,287,213 |
59.50 |
1.19% |
| 1982 |
2,747,460,924 |
59.85 |
1.16% |
| 1981 |
2,716,050,910 |
60.23 |
1.06% |
| 1980 |
2,687,679,580 |
60.65 |
1.06% |
| 1979 |
2,659,389,683 |
61.06 |
1.09% |
| 1978 |
2,630,653,393 |
61.47 |
1.20% |
| 1977 |
2,599,582,989 |
61.80 |
1.32% |
| 1976 |
2,565,599,507 |
62.06 |
1.38% |
| 1975 |
2,530,673,774 |
62.31 |
1.49% |
| 1974 |
2,493,594,794 |
62.54 |
1.50% |
| 1973 |
2,456,842,164 |
62.81 |
1.60% |
| 1972 |
2,418,101,600 |
63.04 |
1.70% |
| 1971 |
2,377,767,005 |
63.25 |
1.82% |
| 1970 |
2,335,276,447 |
63.45 |
1.79% |
| 1969 |
2,294,247,465 |
63.63 |
1.77% |
| 1968 |
2,254,245,167 |
63.83 |
1.73% |
| 1967 |
2,215,970,601 |
64.04 |
1.72% |
| 1966 |
2,178,588,996 |
64.25 |
1.80% |
| 1965 |
2,140,139,597 |
64.44 |
1.71% |
| 1964 |
2,104,220,646 |
64.66 |
1.44% |
| 1963 |
2,074,403,280 |
65.06 |
1.48% |
| 1962 |
2,044,148,623 |
65.44 |
1.04% |
| 1961 |
2,023,066,947 |
65.88 |
0.54% |
| 1960 |
2,012,175,449 |
66.38 |
% |
