Share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands: Share of population living in rural areas was 40.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands is 40.6%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands peaked at 100.0% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 39.2%, in 2015.
Marshall Islands ranks 56th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 100.0% | — |
| 1955 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 66.9% | -33.1% |
| 1970 | 62.0% | -7.3% |
| 1975 | 58.6% | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 63.1% | +7.7% |
| 1985 | 60.8% | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 59.7% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | -16.9% |
| 2000 | 48.8% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 46.5% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 39.2% | -10.3% |
| 2020 | 40.6% | +3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 83.4% | 66.9% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 60.3% | 58.6% | 62.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 61.9% | 60.8% | 63.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 54.6% | 49.6% | 59.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 47.7% | 46.5% | 48.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 41.4% | 39.2% | 43.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 40.6% | 40.6% | 40.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Marshall Islands
More population data for Marshall Islands
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.393 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.46 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.393 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3323 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 51.21 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8454 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3799 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Population density 132.37 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1,311 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands?
- Share of population living in rural areas in Marshall Islands was 40.6% 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 Marshall Islands?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Marshall Islands?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.2% in 2015.
- How does Marshall Islands rank for share of population living in rural areas?
- Marshall Islands ranks 56th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Marshall Islands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Marshall Islands 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.