Based on a comparison of 171 countries in 2017, Burundi ranked the highest in rural population as a share of total population with 87.3% followed by Papua New Guinea and Liechtenstein. On the other end of the scale was Qatar with 0.922%, Kuwait with 1.64% and Belgium with 2.04%.
Average rural population as a share of total population reached 45.2% in 2017 in the World according to the National Statistical Office. This is 1 % less than in the previous year and -10.3 % less than 10 years ago.
Historically, average rural population as a share of total population reached an all time high of 66.4% in 1960 and an all time low of 45.2% in 2017. The average annual growth amounted to -0.673 % since 1960.
Data for more countries are available at Rural Population (As % of Total) indicator page.
| Rural Population (As % of Total) | Unit | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| Afghanistan | % | 76.1% | 75.8% | 75.6% | 75.4% | 75.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| Burundi | % | 89.1% | 88.8% | 88.5% | 88.2% | 87.9% | ||||||||||||||||
| Cambodia | % | 79.3% | 79.0% | 78.6% | 78.2% | 77.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Chad | % | 77.9% | 77.9% | 77.8% | 77.6% | 77.5% | ||||||||||||||||
| Ethiopia | % | 82.3% | 81.8% | 81.4% | 81.0% | 80.6% | ||||||||||||||||
| Liechtenstein | % | 85.6% | 85.6% | 85.7% | 85.7% | 85.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Malawi | % | 84.3% | 84.2% | 84.0% | 83.9% | 83.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Nepal | % | 82.9% | 82.5% | 82.2% | 81.8% | 81.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Niger | % | 83.8% | 83.8% | 83.8% | 83.8% | 83.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Papua New Guinea | % | 87.0% | 87.0% | 87.0% | 87.0% | 87.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| Rwanda | % | 83.1% | 83.1% | 83.1% | 83.0% | 83.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Sudan | % | 82.0% | 81.8% | 81.6% | 81.4% | 81.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka | % | 81.8% | 81.8% | 81.8% | 81.8% | 81.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Swaziland | % | 77.3% | 77.2% | 77.0% | 76.9% | 76.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| Uganda | % | 80.1% | 79.6% | 79.0% | 78.5% | 77.9% |
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