Population living in rural areas (Degree of Urbanisation)

215 countries, 2025. Unit: % of population.

First in the ranking
75.9 %
Solomon Islands
Median country
24.9 %
half above, half below
World
19.6 %
United Nations aggregate
Range
0.0 to 75.9
Monaco - Solomon Islands

How to read it

Across 215 countries worldwide, the highest value is in Solomon Islands (75.9 %) and the lowest in Monaco (0.0 %).

The median country is at 24.9 %: half are above, half below.

For the world as a whole, the value fell from 24.8 % in 1996 to 19.6 % in 2025.

Compare selected countries · on the world map

Source: United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects 2025 · licence

Living in rural areas over time

%

Add to chart:

Ranking of countries

2025
In chart Continent Share of the highest value
1Solomon Islands75.9Oceania
2Eswatini75.5Africa
3Vanuatu69.9Oceania
4Federated States of Micronesia69.2Oceania
5Laos67.7Asia
6Bhutan67.5Asia
7Zimbabwe65.3Africa
8Faroe Islands63.7Europe
9Palau60.5Oceania
10Lesotho59.8Africa
11Saint Kitts and Nevis57.8North America
12Greenland57.5North America
13Dominica56.4North America
14Namibia56.2Africa
15Madagascar55.1Africa
16Papua New Guinea52.1Oceania
17Mali50.7Africa
18Slovenia49.2Europe
19Timor-Leste48.9Asia
20Marshall Islands48.8Oceania
21Burkina Faso48.3Africa
22Bosnia and Herzegovina48.3Europe
23Niger48.2Africa
24Chad47.7Africa
25Moldova46.4Europe
26Mozambique46.4Africa
27Slovakia46.2Europe
28Guinea-Bissau45.7Africa
29Croatia45.1Europe
30Zambia45.0Africa
31Romania44.9Europe
32Central African Republic44.5Africa
33Guinea44.5Africa
34Fiji44.4Oceania
35Ireland44.3Europe
36Sierra Leone42.3Africa
37Maldives41.9Asia
38Samoa41.8Oceania
39Latvia41.7Europe
40Tanzania41.2Africa
41Belize41.1North America
42Lithuania41.0Europe
43Liberia40.9Africa
44Austria40.7Europe
45Poland39.6Europe
46Czechia39.5Europe
47Paraguay39.3South America
48Honduras39.2North America
49Tonga39.1Oceania
50Bulgaria39.1Europe
51Mauritania39.0Africa
52Finland38.7Europe
53Thailand37.7Asia
54France37.5Europe
55Hungary37.1Europe
56French Polynesia36.4Oceania
57Eritrea35.9Africa
58British Virgin Islands35.9North America
59Saint Vincent and the Grenadines35.8North America
60Nicaragua35.3North America
61Georgia35.2Asia
62Denmark34.7Europe
63South Sudan34.6Africa
64Norway34.5Europe
65Estonia34.4Europe
66Serbia34.3Europe
67New Caledonia34.1Oceania
68Kiribati33.8Oceania
69Ethiopia33.2Africa
70Isle of Man32.3Europe
71Greece31.9Europe
72Northern Mariana Islands31.3Oceania
73Panama31.1North America
74Côte d'Ivoire31.1Africa
75Albania31.0Europe
76Cambodia30.8Asia
77Myanmar30.6Asia
78Sweden30.5Europe
79Botswana29.5Africa
80Malawi29.4Africa
81Mongolia28.9Asia
82North Macedonia28.8Europe
83Portugal28.8Europe
84Tunisia28.5Africa
85Luxembourg28.4Europe
86Senegal28.4Africa
87Kosovo28.0Europe
88Bolivia27.6South America
89Grenada27.5North America
90Jamaica27.2North America
91Cabo Verde27.0Africa
92Nepal26.7Asia
93Suriname26.6South America
94Togo26.6Africa
95Germany26.6Europe
96United States Virgin Islands26.4North America
97Democratic Republic of the Congo26.3Africa
98Guyana26.1South America
99Peru26.0South America
100Costa Rica25.9North America
101Benin25.9Africa
102United States25.6North America
103Sudan25.4Africa
104Guatemala25.4North America
105Ukraine25.3Europe
106Tuvalu25.1Oceania
107Andorra25.1Europe
108Belarus24.9Europe
109American Samoa24.3Oceania
110The Gambia24.2Africa
111Cameroon24.2Africa
112Saint Lucia24.1North America
113Libya24.1Africa
114Angola24.0Africa
115Cyprus24.0Asia
116Antigua and Barbuda23.9North America
117Liechtenstein23.8Europe
118Canada23.7North America
119Iceland23.7Europe
120New Zealand23.7Oceania
121El Salvador23.3North America
122Uganda23.3Africa
123Kyrgyzstan23.1Asia
124Italy23.1Europe
125Switzerland22.9Europe
126Kenya22.9Africa
127Armenia22.6Asia
128Mexico22.5North America
129Kazakhstan22.4Asia
130Ghana22.2Africa
131Morocco21.8Africa
132Turkmenistan21.7Asia
133Ecuador21.5South America
134Azerbaijan20.9Asia
135Belgium20.8Europe
136Russia20.8Europe
137Spain20.7Europe
138South Africa20.5Africa
139Brazil20.3South America
140Seychelles19.9Africa
141Oman19.8Asia
142San Marino19.3Europe
143Algeria19.0Africa
144Puerto Rico18.9North America
145Australia18.2Oceania
146Nigeria18.2Africa
147Syria18.2Asia
148Montenegro18.1Europe
149Turks and Caicos Islands18.0North America
150Colombia17.8South America
151Chile17.7South America
152Brunei17.7Asia
153Cuba17.5North America
154Bahamas17.5North America
155Somalia17.4Africa
156Türkiye17.2Asia
157Malaysia16.9Asia
158Afghanistan16.9Asia
159Haiti16.8North America
160Gabon16.4Africa
161China16.3Asia
162India15.9Asia
163São Tomé and Principe15.8Africa
164Tajikistan15.5Asia
165Saudi Arabia15.4Asia
166Yemen15.3Asia
167Iran15.2Asia
168Netherlands15.2Europe
169Philippines14.8Asia
170Guam14.7Oceania
171Sri Lanka14.7Asia
172Dominican Republic14.0North America
173Indonesia14.0Asia
174Argentina13.7South America
175Barbados13.7North America
176United Kingdom13.6Europe
177Saint-Martin13.5North America
178Uruguay13.5South America
179North Korea13.5Asia
180Uzbekistan12.8Asia
181Vietnam12.5Asia
182Comoros12.4Africa
183Trinidad and Tobago12.4North America
184Iraq12.3Asia
185Venezuela11.4South America
186Pakistan10.9Asia
187Burundi10.8Africa
188Djibouti10.6Africa
189Lebanon9.9Asia
190Equatorial Guinea9.9Africa
191South Korea9.6Asia
192Mauritius9.1Africa
193United Arab Emirates8.7Asia
194Japan8.6Asia
195Republic of the Congo8.1Africa
196Nauru7.7Oceania
197Cayman Islands7.4North America
198Qatar6.6Asia
199Jordan6.3Asia
200Israel6.2Asia
201Rwanda5.9Africa
202Curaçao5.3North America
203Palestine5.2Asia
204Malta4.5Europe
205Aruba4.5North America
206Kuwait3.5Asia
207Sint Maarten2.8North America
208Egypt2.5Africa
209Bahrain2.0Asia
210Bangladesh2.0Asia
211Bermuda1.5North America
212Hong Kong0.4Asia
213Macao0.1Asia
214Singapore0.1Asia
215Monaco0.0Europe
UN WUP 2025 · 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO Source and licence

Biggest changes, 2015-2025

change in percentage points · 215 countries

Largest increase

  1. Palau 43.7 → 60.5 +16.8 pp
  2. Marshall Islands 39.2 → 48.8 +9.6 pp
  3. Saint-Martin 5.8 → 13.5 +7.8 pp
  4. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 30.5 → 35.8 +5.3 pp
  5. American Samoa 19.1 → 24.3 +5.2 pp

Largest decrease

  1. Turks and Caicos Islands 41.0 → 18.0 −22.9 pp
  2. Equatorial Guinea 26.8 → 9.9 −16.9 pp
  3. Uganda 38.2 → 23.3 −14.9 pp
  4. Tuvalu 39.9 → 25.1 −14.8 pp
  5. Malawi 40.8 → 29.4 −11.4 pp

Continents over time

median country of each continent

Living in rural areas - continent medians

%

Africa Asia Europe North America South America Oceania

0 20 40 60 80 1950 Africa: 55.23 Asia: 43.9 Europe: 44.97 North America: 49.71 South America: 44.81 Oceania: 76.3 1951 Africa: 54.72 Asia: 43.42 Europe: 44.78 North America: 49.19 South America: 44.08 Oceania: 75.82 1952 Africa: 54.32 Asia: 42.93 Europe: 44.59 North America: 48.69 South America: 43.39 Oceania: 71.93 1953 Africa: 53.97 Asia: 42.48 Europe: 44.4 North America: 48.22 South America: 42.73 Oceania: 67.82 1954 Africa: 53.78 Asia: 42.23 Europe: 44.22 North America: 47.77 South America: 42.12 Oceania: 67.41 1955 Africa: 53.6 Asia: 42.06 Europe: 44.04 North America: 47.34 South America: 41.53 Oceania: 67.01 1956 Africa: 53.01 Asia: 41.69 Europe: 43.84 North America: 46.81 South America: 40.81 Oceania: 66.35 1957 Africa: 52.43 Asia: 41.28 Europe: 43.42 North America: 46.31 South America: 40.17 Oceania: 65.73 1958 Africa: 52.04 Asia: 40.86 Europe: 42.99 North America: 45.83 South America: 39.57 Oceania: 65.15 1959 Africa: 51.82 Asia: 40.45 Europe: 42.58 North America: 45.31 South America: 39 Oceania: 64.6 1960 Africa: 51.6 Asia: 40.05 Europe: 42.17 North America: 44.73 South America: 38.45 Oceania: 64.08 1961 Africa: 51.15 Asia: 39.47 Europe: 41.82 North America: 43.68 South America: 37.82 Oceania: 63.34 1962 Africa: 50.75 Asia: 39.17 Europe: 41.47 North America: 42.67 South America: 37.22 Oceania: 62.65 1963 Africa: 50.56 Asia: 38.72 Europe: 40.85 North America: 41.74 South America: 36.66 Oceania: 62.01 1964 Africa: 50.38 Asia: 38.2 Europe: 40.5 North America: 40.88 South America: 36.12 Oceania: 61.4 1965 Africa: 50.2 Asia: 37.7 Europe: 40.28 North America: 40.09 South America: 35.6 Oceania: 60.83 1966 Africa: 49.69 Asia: 36.87 Europe: 40.12 North America: 39.05 South America: 35.07 Oceania: 60.24 1967 Africa: 49.25 Asia: 36.18 Europe: 39.93 North America: 38.09 South America: 34.56 Oceania: 59.68 1968 Africa: 49.07 Asia: 35.64 Europe: 39.66 North America: 37.62 South America: 34.08 Oceania: 57.23 1969 Africa: 48.74 Asia: 35.21 Europe: 39.48 North America: 37.51 South America: 33.61 Oceania: 56.81 1970 Africa: 48.6 Asia: 34.81 Europe: 39.31 North America: 37.44 South America: 33.17 Oceania: 56.41 1971 Africa: 48.71 Asia: 34.18 Europe: 39.16 North America: 37.28 South America: 32.7 Oceania: 55.46 1972 Africa: 48.5 Asia: 33.58 Europe: 39.02 North America: 37.14 South America: 32.25 Oceania: 54.6 1973 Africa: 48.1 Asia: 33.07 Europe: 38.88 North America: 36.94 South America: 31.82 Oceania: 53.82 1974 Africa: 47.73 Asia: 32.63 Europe: 38.63 North America: 36.63 South America: 31.41 Oceania: 53.47 1975 Africa: 47.38 Asia: 32.23 Europe: 38.31 North America: 36.34 South America: 31.01 Oceania: 53.16 1976 Africa: 47.11 Asia: 31.14 Europe: 38.08 North America: 35.37 South America: 30.53 Oceania: 52.41 1977 Africa: 46.52 Asia: 30.8 Europe: 37.94 North America: 35.04 South America: 30.07 Oceania: 51.68 1978 Africa: 46.12 Asia: 30.47 Europe: 37.93 North America: 35.17 South America: 29.62 Oceania: 50.97 1979 Africa: 45.8 Asia: 30.15 Europe: 37.87 North America: 35.3 South America: 29.2 Oceania: 50.28 1980 Africa: 45.49 Asia: 29.91 Europe: 37.43 North America: 35.24 South America: 28.79 Oceania: 49.61 1981 Africa: 45.17 Asia: 29.69 Europe: 37.42 North America: 33.94 South America: 28.62 Oceania: 49.45 1982 Africa: 44.66 Asia: 29.37 Europe: 37.42 North America: 33.9 South America: 28.51 Oceania: 49.29 1983 Africa: 44.1 Asia: 29.07 Europe: 37.41 North America: 33.88 South America: 28.4 Oceania: 49.14 1984 Africa: 43.56 Asia: 28.79 Europe: 37.4 North America: 31.85 South America: 28.29 Oceania: 48.99 1985 Africa: 43.05 Asia: 28.52 Europe: 37.39 North America: 31.66 South America: 28.19 Oceania: 48.65 1986 Africa: 42.59 Asia: 28.25 Europe: 37.33 North America: 31.42 South America: 28.13 Oceania: 48.58 1987 Africa: 42.15 Asia: 28.08 Europe: 37.2 North America: 31.18 South America: 28.06 Oceania: 48.33 1988 Africa: 41.72 Asia: 27.63 Europe: 37.07 North America: 30.95 South America: 28 Oceania: 48.07 1989 Africa: 41.03 Asia: 27.22 Europe: 36.94 North America: 30.63 South America: 27.94 Oceania: 47.82 1990 Africa: 40.21 Asia: 26.72 Europe: 36.8 North America: 30.23 South America: 27.89 Oceania: 47.57 1991 Africa: 40.32 Asia: 26.05 Europe: 36.69 North America: 29.85 South America: 27.38 Oceania: 47.38 1992 Africa: 39.73 Asia: 25.42 Europe: 36.58 North America: 29.48 South America: 26.89 Oceania: 47.18 1993 Africa: 39.19 Asia: 24.83 Europe: 36.47 North America: 29.12 South America: 26.42 Oceania: 46.99 1994 Africa: 38.71 Asia: 24.33 Europe: 36.36 North America: 28.78 South America: 25.96 Oceania: 46.8 1995 Africa: 38.36 Asia: 23.9 Europe: 36.3 North America: 28.44 South America: 25.52 Oceania: 46.62 1996 Africa: 38.12 Asia: 23.52 Europe: 36 North America: 28.1 South America: 25.06 Oceania: 46.26 1997 Africa: 37.89 Asia: 23.06 Europe: 35.95 North America: 27.77 South America: 24.85 Oceania: 45.9 1998 Africa: 37.66 Asia: 22.73 Europe: 35.91 North America: 26.63 South America: 24.8 Oceania: 45.55 1999 Africa: 37.44 Asia: 22.41 Europe: 35.86 North America: 25.74 South America: 24.76 Oceania: 45.21 2000 Africa: 37.23 Asia: 21.88 Europe: 35.82 North America: 25.37 South America: 24.73 Oceania: 44.87 2001 Africa: 36.84 Asia: 21.45 Europe: 35.74 North America: 25.33 South America: 24.62 Oceania: 44.78 2002 Africa: 36.21 Asia: 21.11 Europe: 35.8 North America: 25.14 South America: 24.37 Oceania: 44.69 2003 Africa: 35.62 Asia: 20.79 Europe: 35.91 North America: 24.95 South America: 24.17 Oceania: 44.6 2004 Africa: 35.06 Asia: 20.48 Europe: 36.01 North America: 24.76 South America: 23.98 Oceania: 44.51 2005 Africa: 34.54 Asia: 20.17 Europe: 36.12 North America: 24.58 South America: 23.79 Oceania: 44.42 2006 Africa: 33.3 Asia: 19.75 Europe: 36.14 North America: 24.31 South America: 23.6 Oceania: 44.39 2007 Africa: 32.51 Asia: 19.35 Europe: 36.16 North America: 24.46 South America: 23.41 Oceania: 44.36 2008 Africa: 31.95 Asia: 18.97 Europe: 36.18 North America: 24.63 South America: 23.23 Oceania: 44.03 2009 Africa: 31.59 Asia: 18.61 Europe: 36.2 North America: 24.79 South America: 23.06 Oceania: 42.96 2010 Africa: 31.07 Asia: 18.27 Europe: 36.21 North America: 24.96 South America: 22.89 Oceania: 41.92 2011 Africa: 30.57 Asia: 17.83 Europe: 36.17 North America: 24.99 South America: 22.73 Oceania: 41.7 2012 Africa: 30.22 Asia: 17.41 Europe: 35.67 North America: 24.97 South America: 22.57 Oceania: 41.95 2013 Africa: 29.89 Asia: 17.02 Europe: 35.01 North America: 24.95 South America: 22.42 Oceania: 41.14 2014 Africa: 29.58 Asia: 16.75 Europe: 34.23 North America: 24.93 South America: 22.28 Oceania: 40.91 2015 Africa: 29.29 Asia: 16.59 Europe: 33.66 North America: 24.91 South America: 22.13 Oceania: 40.62 2016 Africa: 29.07 Asia: 16.43 Europe: 33.42 North America: 24.92 South America: 22.03 Oceania: 39.44 2017 Africa: 28.77 Asia: 16.41 Europe: 33.18 North America: 25.03 South America: 21.93 Oceania: 39.2 2018 Africa: 28.76 Asia: 16.39 Europe: 32.79 North America: 25.16 South America: 21.83 Oceania: 38.74 2019 Africa: 28.75 Asia: 16.19 Europe: 32.47 North America: 25.3 South America: 21.73 Oceania: 38.58 2020 Africa: 28.75 Asia: 15.97 Europe: 32.28 North America: 24.23 South America: 21.63 Oceania: 38.43 2021 Africa: 28.49 Asia: 16.01 Europe: 32.15 North America: 24.11 South America: 21.48 Oceania: 38.01 2022 Africa: 27.84 Asia: 16.06 Europe: 32.02 North America: 24.02 South America: 21.33 Oceania: 37.59 2023 Africa: 27.49 Asia: 15.96 Europe: 31.86 North America: 23.96 South America: 21.19 Oceania: 37.18 2024 Africa: 27.15 Asia: 15.7 Europe: 31.65 North America: 23.9 South America: 21.04 Oceania: 36.77 2025 Africa: 26.82 Asia: 15.46 Europe: 31.43 North America: 23.83 South America: 20.9 Oceania: 36.36 1950 1972 1983 1994 2005 2025

By continent

median country
Africa 26.8 %
Asia 15.5 %
Europe 31.4 %
North America 23.8 %
South America 20.9 %
Oceania 36.4 %

Tick a country in the table to add it to the chart above, up to six at a time. The ranking uses the latest year for which at least half of the countries have a value; countries without a value that year are not listed.