Rural population in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Rural population was 76.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Ethiopia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Ethiopia is 76.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Ethiopia peaked at 91.4% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 76.3%, in 2024.
That places Ethiopia 14th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 91.4% | — |
| 1971 | 91.2% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 91.1% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 90.9% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 90.7% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 90.5% | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 90.4% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 90.2% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 90.0% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 89.8% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 89.6% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 89.4% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 89.2% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 89.0% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 88.8% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 88.5% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 88.3% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 88.1% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 87.9% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 87.6% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 87.4% | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 87.1% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 86.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 86.6% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 86.4% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 86.2% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 86.0% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 85.8% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 85.6% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 85.4% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 85.3% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 85.1% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 84.9% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 84.7% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 84.5% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 84.3% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 84.1% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 83.9% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 83.5% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 83.1% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 82.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 82.3% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 81.8% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 81.4% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 81.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 79.7% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 79.2% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 78.8% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 78.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 77.8% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 77.3% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 76.8% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 76.3% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 90.6% | 89.8% | 91.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.6% | 87.6% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 86.3% | 85.4% | 87.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.3% | 83.1% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.8% | 78.8% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.3% | 76.3% | 78.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More population data for Ethiopia
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2918 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.229 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.484 (2100)
- Population density 325.45 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 23.22 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.484 (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Ethiopia?
- Rural population in Ethiopia was 76.3% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 91.4% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.3% in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for rural population?
- Ethiopia ranks 14th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release