Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Samoa
Samoa: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) was 82.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
82.6%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
5th
of 214 countries
All-time high
82.6%
in 2024
All-time low
77.9%
in 2001
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Rural population in Samoa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Samoa is 82.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Samoa peaked at 82.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 77.9%, in 2001.
That places Samoa 5th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 79.6% | — |
| 1971 | 79.4% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 79.2% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 79.2% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 79.1% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 79.0% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 78.9% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 78.9% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 78.9% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 78.8% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 78.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 78.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 78.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 78.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 78.4% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 78.3% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 78.2% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 78.1% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 78.0% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 77.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 78.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 78.3% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 78.5% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 78.8% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 79.0% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 79.2% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 79.5% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 79.7% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 79.9% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 80.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 80.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 80.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 80.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 81.1% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 81.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 81.8% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 81.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 82.1% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 82.3% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 82.4% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 82.5% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 82.6% | +0.1% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 82.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.5%, 2.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 82.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.5%, 2.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 79.1% | 78.8% | 79.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 78.8% | 78.8% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.5% | 78.1% | 78.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.7% | 77.9% | 79.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.0% | 79.9% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.4% | 82.1% | 82.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More population data for Samoa
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5509 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1344 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 320.02 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.35 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3812 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.307 (2100)
- Population density 137.97 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 25,608 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Samoa?
- Rural population in Samoa was 82.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 82.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.9% in 2001.
- How does Samoa rank for rural population?
- Samoa ranks 5th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Samoa 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