Rural population in Rwanda
Rwanda: Rural population was 81.9% in 2024. βΌ Falling
Rural population in Rwanda, 1970β2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Rwanda is 81.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Rwanda peaked at 96.8% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 81.9%, in 2024.
That places Rwanda 6th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 96.1% | 95.3% | 96.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 95.0% | 94.7% | 95.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 90.6% | 85.9% | 94.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.4% | 83.1% | 85.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.0% | 82.7% | 83.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.3% | 81.9% | 82.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More population data for Rwanda
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.217 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 2.01 million (2100)
- Population density 1,329 (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.217 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.06 Percent per annum (2030)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 23,030 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2.06 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 3.65 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 114,368 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Rwanda?
- Rural population in Rwanda was 81.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 96.8% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.9% in 2024.
- How does Rwanda rank for rural population?
- Rwanda ranks 6th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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 Β· JSON β 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release