Share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati
Kiribati: Share of population living in rural areas was 33.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati stood at 33.5%. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati peaked at 76.3% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 33.5%, in 2020.
Kiribati ranks 79th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 76.3% | — |
| 1955 | 74.1% | -2.9% |
| 1960 | 71.5% | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 68.7% | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 66.6% | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 64.6% | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 69.6% | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 67.1% | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 64.4% | -4.1% |
| 1995 | 61.7% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 55.5% | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 53.3% | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 48.5% | -8.9% |
| 2015 | 43.3% | -10.7% |
| 2020 | 33.5% | -22.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 75.2% | 74.1% | 76.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 70.1% | 68.7% | 71.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 65.6% | 64.6% | 66.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 68.4% | 67.1% | 69.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 63.0% | 61.7% | 64.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 54.4% | 53.3% | 55.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 45.9% | 43.3% | 48.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 33.5% | 33.5% | 33.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kiribati
- 76 Estonia 35.0% compare
- 77 South Sudan 34.8% compare
- 78 New Caledonia 34.4% compare
- 80 Greece 32.8% compare
- 81 Côte d'Ivoire 32.7% compare
- 82 Isle of Man 32.5% compare
More population data for Kiribati
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.7128 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0327 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 188.57 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.43 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4909 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 274.88 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 14,189 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati?
- Share of population living in rural areas in Kiribati was 33.5% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Kiribati?
- The highest recorded value was 76.3% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Kiribati?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.5% in 2020.
- How does Kiribati rank for share of population living in rural areas?
- Kiribati ranks 79th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Kiribati?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kiribati data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.