Rural population in Mali
Mali: Rural population was 53.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Mali, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Mali is 53.1%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Mali peaked at 85.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 53.1%, in 2024.
That places Mali 61st out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Mali, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 85.7% | — |
| 1971 | 85.3% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 84.9% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 84.5% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 84.2% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 83.8% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 83.3% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 82.9% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 82.5% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 81.5% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 81.0% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 80.5% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 80.0% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 79.5% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 79.0% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 78.5% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 77.9% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 77.5% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 77.1% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 76.7% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 76.2% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 75.8% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 75.4% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 74.9% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 74.5% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 74.0% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 73.6% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 73.1% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 72.4% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 71.6% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 70.9% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 70.2% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 69.5% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 68.7% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 67.2% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 66.4% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 65.6% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 64.8% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 64.0% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 63.2% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 62.4% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 61.6% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 60.8% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 60.0% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 59.2% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 58.4% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 57.6% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 56.9% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 56.1% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 55.3% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 54.6% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 53.8% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 53.1% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 83.9% | 82.0% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 79.3% | 77.1% | 81.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 74.7% | 72.4% | 76.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.3% | 64.8% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.4% | 56.9% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.6% | 53.1% | 56.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mali
- 58 Guinea-Bissau 54.1% compare
- 59 Belize 53.2% compare
- 60 Zambia 53.1% compare
- 62 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 51.9% compare
- 63 Somalia 51.5% compare
- 64 Philippines 51.4% compare
More population data for Mali
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 47,440 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.95 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4401 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.383 (2100)
- Population density 65.03 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 5.87 million (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.383 (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2.95 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility, annual growth rate -1.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled 135,533 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Mali?
- Rural population in Mali was 53.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 85.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.1% in 2024.
- How does Mali rank for rural population?
- Mali ranks 61st out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mali 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release