Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate by country
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Countries reporting
224
Highest
3.45 % change on previous year
Burundi
Lowest
-0.5341 % change on previous year
American Samoa
Median
0.2924 % change on previous year
Years covered
75
1951–2025
Data points
17,624
What the numbers show
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate is currently reported for 224 countries. The highest value is 3.45 % change on previous year in Burundi; the lowest is -0.5341 % change on previous year in American Samoa.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.2924 % change on previous year, and the mean is 0.527 % change on previous year.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 6.
Over the past decade 127 countries rose and 91 fell. The largest increase was in Guam (up 15,584.4%), and the largest decrease in Isle of Man (down 264.5%).
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 3.45 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 46.3% | rising |
| 2 | Rwanda | 3.44 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 13.1% | volatile |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea | 2.42 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 210.6% | volatile |
| 4 | Chad | 2.36 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 95.4% | volatile |
| 5 | Lesotho | 2.27 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 48.9% | volatile |
| 6 | Mozambique | 2.13 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 182.4% | volatile |
| 7 | Uganda | 2.12 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 34.7% | volatile |
| 8 | Solomon Islands | 2.11 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 39.8% | volatile |
| 9 | Burkina Faso | 2.07 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 119.2% | volatile |
| 10 | Ethiopia | 2.06 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 7.7% | rising |
| 11 | Bhutan | 2.03 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 29.9% | volatile |
| 12 | Tanzania | 1.98 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 7.8% | volatile |
| 13 | Laos | 1.92 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 36.0% | volatile |
| 14 | Mali | 1.91 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 15 | Malawi | 1.89 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 340.3% | volatile |
| 16 | Niger | 1.8 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 398.2% | volatile |
| 17 | Eswatini | 1.8 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 72.9% | volatile |
| 18 | Bangladesh | 1.72 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 45.3% | volatile |
| 19 | British Virgin Islands | 1.57 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 14.2% | volatile |
| 20 | Benin | 1.55 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 7.8% | volatile |
| 21 | Zimbabwe | 1.51 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 25.5% | volatile |
| 22 | Thailand | 1.5 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 9.1% | volatile |
| 23 | Kiribati | 1.48 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 32.2% | volatile |
| 24 | Mauritania | 1.46 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 38.7% | volatile |
| 25 | Madagascar | 1.44 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 63.9% | falling |
| 26 | South Sudan | 1.44 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1.3% | volatile |
| 27 | Togo | 1.32 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 20.3% | volatile |
| 28 | Nigeria | 1.27 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 29 | Sierra Leone | 1.24 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 14.0% | volatile |
| 30 | Maldives | 1.21 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 20.5% | volatile |
| 31 | Comoros | 1.2 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 5.0% | volatile |
| 32 | Guinea | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 85.5% | volatile |
| 33 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.17 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 13.3% | volatile |
| 34 | Angola | 1.14 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 9.7% | volatile |
| 35 | Cape Verde | 1.12 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 32.9% | volatile |
| 36 | Tuvalu | 1.12 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 5.8% | volatile |
| 37 | Indonesia | 1.09 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 14.6% | falling |
| 38 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.09 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 16.8% | volatile |
| 39 | Gambia | 1.07 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 0.5% | volatile |
| 40 | Cote d'Ivoire | 1.07 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 15.6% | volatile |
| 41 | Haiti | 1.05 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 22.6% | volatile |
| 42 | Kenya | 0.998 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 634.2% | volatile |
| 43 | Zambia | 0.9826 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 44 | Liberia | 0.9781 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 6.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Central African Republic | 0.9718 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 7.0% | volatile |
| 46 | Senegal | 0.9604 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 34.9% | volatile |
| 47 | Ghana | 0.9581 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.6% | volatile |
| 48 | Somalia | 0.9563 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 73.2% | volatile |
| 49 | Niue | 0.9549 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 128.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Afghanistan | 0.9319 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 17.7% | volatile |
| 51 | Namibia | 0.9084 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 40.9% | volatile |
| 52 | Pakistan | 0.8991 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 32.4% | volatile |
| 53 | Vietnam | 0.8828 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 34.9% | volatile |
| 54 | India | 0.8771 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 11.2% | rising |
| 55 | Jamaica | 0.8403 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 38.2% | volatile |
| 56 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.8224 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 13.0% | volatile |
| 57 | Honduras | 0.7937 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 15.5% | volatile |
| 58 | Fiji | 0.7919 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 20.6% | volatile |
| 59 | Paraguay | 0.7551 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 26.1% | volatile |
| 60 | Sri Lanka | 0.7409 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 23.8% | volatile |
| 61 | Botswana | 0.7317 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 51.7% | volatile |
| 62 | Algeria | 0.7165 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 16.4% | volatile |
| 63 | China | 0.6803 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 76.0% | volatile |
| 64 | Malaysia | 0.6213 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 1.1% | volatile |
| 65 | Yemen | 0.6137 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 62.8% | volatile |
| 66 | Guatemala | 0.6121 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 10.2% | volatile |
| 67 | El Salvador | 0.6077 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 46.4% | rising |
| 68 | Dominica | 0.5999 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 10.5% | volatile |
| 69 | Faroe Islands | 0.5838 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 5.3% | volatile |
| 70 | Philippines | 0.5792 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 68.2% | volatile |
| 71 | Cambodia | 0.5698 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 93.0% | volatile |
| 72 | Albania | 0.5553 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 28.5% | volatile |
| 73 | Costa Rica | 0.5245 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 26.7% | volatile |
| 74 | Morocco | 0.5225 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 75 | North Macedonia | 0.5219 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 15.1% | volatile |
| 76 | Croatia | 0.5192 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 135.8% | volatile |
| 77 | North Korea | 0.518 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 37.2% | volatile |
| 78 | Kazakhstan | 0.5044 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 49.8% | volatile |
| 79 | Moldova | 0.4989 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 201.4% | volatile |
| 80 | Tunisia | 0.4895 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 158.5% | volatile |
| 81 | Cameroon | 0.4801 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 27.2% | volatile |
| 82 | Peru | 0.4755 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 46.0% | volatile |
| 83 | Marshall Islands | 0.4736 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 9.1% | volatile |
| 84 | Iran | 0.4623 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 35.7% | falling |
| 85 | Bolivia | 0.459 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 12.9% | volatile |
| 86 | Myanmar | 0.4394 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 29.7% | volatile |
| 87 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.4373 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 124.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Belarus | 0.4289 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 14.5% | volatile |
| 89 | East Timor | 0.4267 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 400.2% | volatile |
| 90 | Seychelles | 0.4259 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 17.1% | volatile |
| 91 | Slovenia | 0.4177 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 92.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Serbia | 0.4088 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 6.2% | volatile |
| 93 | Ireland | 0.3739 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 125.3% | volatile |
| 94 | Congo | 0.3711 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 82.5% | volatile |
| 95 | Lithuania | 0.3676 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 221.8% | volatile |
| 96 | Mexico | 0.3599 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 28.1% | volatile |
| 97 | Austria | 0.359 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 70.2% | volatile |
| 98 | Finland | 0.3516 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 21.4% | volatile |
| 99 | Cook Islands | 0.3475 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 21.7% | volatile |
| 100 | Falkland Islands | 0.3421 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 154.6% | volatile |
| 101 | Nepal | 0.3401 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 43.2% | volatile |
| 102 | Colombia | 0.3333 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 344.6% | volatile |
| 103 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0.3262 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 354.7% | volatile |
| 104 | New Caledonia | 0.3242 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 401.2% | volatile |
| 105 | Brazil | 0.3202 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 5.0% | volatile |
| 106 | Netherlands | 0.3126 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 36.5% | volatile |
| 107 | Switzerland | 0.3109 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 73.1% | volatile |
| 108 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.3065 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 94.1% | volatile |
| 109 | Nicaragua | 0.3051 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 8.8% | volatile |
| 110 | Bulgaria | 0.3014 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1,084.4% | volatile |
| 111 | Palestine | 0.3011 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 46.4% | volatile |
| 112 | Grenada | 0.2954 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 248.8% | volatile |
| 113 | Norway | 0.2895 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 62.7% | volatile |
| 114 | Greece | 0.2884 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 8.0% | volatile |
| 115 | Greenland | 0.2882 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 33.1% | volatile |
| 116 | Hungary | 0.2864 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 13.3% | volatile |
| 117 | Lebanon | 0.2828 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 21.1% | volatile |
| 118 | Jordan | 0.278 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 86.8% | volatile |
| 119 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 0.2765 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1.7% | volatile |
| 120 | Portugal | 0.2725 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 8,429.3% | volatile |
| 121 | Barbados | 0.2686 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 3,780.4% | volatile |
| 122 | Mongolia | 0.2657 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 2,961.5% | volatile |
| 123 | Sweden | 0.2497 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 40.1% | volatile |
| 124 | Spain | 0.2486 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 56.4% | volatile |
| 125 | Gabon | 0.2444 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 53.6% | volatile |
| 126 | Ecuador | 0.2437 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 325.9% | volatile |
| 127 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.243 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 19.6% | volatile |
| 128 | Egypt | 0.2428 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 234.6% | volatile |
| 129 | Panama | 0.2338 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 102.4% | volatile |
| 130 | Latvia | 0.2171 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 428.2% | volatile |
| 131 | Canada | 0.2121 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 386.6% | volatile |
| 132 | Chile | 0.2047 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 17.7% | volatile |
| 133 | South Africa | 0.1941 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 64.7% | volatile |
| 134 | Sudan | 0.1939 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 80.1% | volatile |
| 135 | Poland | 0.1914 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 218.4% | volatile |
| 136 | Saudi Arabia | 0.1858 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 11.6% | volatile |
| 137 | Russia | 0.1848 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 39.6% | volatile |
| 138 | Armenia | 0.1782 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 45.9% | volatile |
| 139 | Denmark | 0.1688 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 244.2% | volatile |
| 140 | United Arab Emirates | 0.1686 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 23.1% | volatile |
| 141 | Turkey | 0.1677 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 96.1% | volatile |
| 142 | Georgia | 0.1622 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 74.1% | volatile |
| 143 | Vanuatu | 0.1584 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 411.3% | volatile |
| 144 | Brunei | 0.1505 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 203.8% | volatile |
| 145 | Dominican Republic | 0.1457 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 293.0% | volatile |
| 146 | Germany | 0.1428 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 5.5% | volatile |
| 147 | Australia | 0.1338 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 25.5% | volatile |
| 148 | Japan | 0.1192 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 10.6% | volatile |
| 149 | Czechia | 0.1107 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 229.3% | volatile |
| 150 | Northern Mariana Islands | 0.1106 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 36.0% | volatile |
| 151 | Micronesia (country) | 0.1095 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 221.5% | volatile |
| 152 | Italy | 0.1093 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 160.5% | volatile |
| 153 | Azerbaijan | 0.1081 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 88.8% | volatile |
| 154 | Montenegro | 0.1012 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 31.1% | volatile |
| 155 | Djibouti | 0.0968 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 41.3% | volatile |
| 156 | United Kingdom | 0.0968 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 58.1% | volatile |
| 157 | Palau | 0.0935 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 121.8% | volatile |
| 158 | Ukraine | 0.0919 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 38.6% | volatile |
| 159 | Puerto Rico | 0.0918 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 394.6% | volatile |
| 160 | Western Sahara | 0.0847 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 87.7% | volatile |
| 161 | Argentina | 0.0842 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 18.8% | volatile |
| 162 | United States | 0.0841 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 227.0% | volatile |
| 163 | Cuba | 0.0785 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 131.2% | volatile |
| 164 | Iraq | 0.0767 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 78.9% | volatile |
| 165 | Andorra | 0.0723 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 347.3% | volatile |
| 166 | New Zealand | 0.0723 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 117.4% | volatile |
| 167 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.0703 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 155.4% | volatile |
| 168 | Belgium | 0.0684 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 75.1% | falling |
| 169 | French Polynesia | 0.0635 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 28.8% | volatile |
| 170 | United States Virgin Islands | 0.0602 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 7.3% | volatile |
| 171 | Uruguay | 0.0581 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 38.9% | volatile |
| 172 | France | 0.0571 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 89.2% | volatile |
| 173 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 0.0534 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1,985.9% | volatile |
| 174 | Mauritius | 0.0533 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 118.0% | volatile |
| 175 | French Guiana | 0.0522 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 112.5% | volatile |
| 176 | Guyana | 0.0517 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 425.4% | volatile |
| 177 | Martinique | 0.0509 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 290.7% | volatile |
| 178 | Guam | 0.05 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 15,584.4% | volatile |
| 179 | Israel | 0.046 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 487.0% | volatile |
| 180 | Curacao | 0.0444 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 193.8% | volatile |
| 181 | Oman | 0.0429 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 92.0% | volatile |
| 182 | Luxembourg | 0.0425 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 92.8% | volatile |
| 183 | Venezuela | 0.0403 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 4.7% | volatile |
| 184 | Iceland | 0.0382 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 66.9% | volatile |
| 185 | Turkmenistan | 0.038 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 22.4% | volatile |
| 186 | Qatar | 0.0376 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1.5% | volatile |
| 187 | Suriname | 0.0373 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 158.7% | volatile |
| 188 | Uzbekistan | 0.0365 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 108.2% | volatile |
| 189 | Estonia | 0.0322 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 89.7% | volatile |
| 190 | San Marino | 0.0318 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 191 | Libya | 0.0294 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 113.0% | volatile |
| 192 | Malta | 0.0272 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 2.4% | volatile |
| 193 | Tonga | 0.0265 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 106.2% | volatile |
| 194 | Mayotte | 0.0244 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 116.1% | volatile |
| 195 | Samoa | 0.02 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 104.9% | volatile |
| 196 | Cyprus | 0.0189 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 115.3% | volatile |
| 197 | Taiwan | 0.0182 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 70.9% | volatile |
| 198 | Guadeloupe | 0.0167 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 110.7% | volatile |
| 199 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.0158 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 1,113.5% | volatile |
| 200 | Eritrea | 0.0113 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 108.3% | volatile |
| 201 | Syria | 0.0104 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 103.2% | volatile |
| 202 | Romania | 0.0104 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 104.7% | volatile |
| 203 | Bahamas | 0.0074 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 109.9% | volatile |
| 204 | South Korea | 0.007 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 106.2% | volatile |
| 205 | Reunion | 0.0067 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 128.9% | volatile |
| 206 | Slovakia | 0.0038 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 101.5% | volatile |
| 207 | Bahrain | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 207 | Bermuda | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 207 | Hong Kong | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 207 | Kuwait | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 207 | Macao | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 207 | Montserrat | 0 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 223 | Saint Lucia | -0.0024 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 100.1% | volatile |
| 224 | Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba | -0.0131 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 101.7% | volatile |
| 225 | Isle of Man | -0.0527 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 264.5% | volatile |
| 226 | Tajikistan | -0.0535 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 83.2% | volatile |
| 227 | Aruba | -0.0686 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 79.3% | volatile |
| 228 | Saint Helena | -0.1478 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 68.6% | volatile |
| 229 | Guernsey | -0.1845 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 190.6% | volatile |
| 230 | Jersey | -0.1856 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 215.2% | volatile |
| 231 | Liechtenstein | -0.189 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 237.1% | volatile |
| 232 | Antigua and Barbuda | -0.2345 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 34.6% | volatile |
| 233 | Belize | -0.4577 % change on previous year | 2025 | up 20.3% | volatile |
| 234 | American Samoa | -0.5341 % change on previous year | 2025 | down 23.9% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- (UN M49) 0.3351 % change on previous year
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.