Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar

Qatar: Share of population living in rural areas was 6.7% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
6.7%
World rank
217th
of 236 countries
All-time high
42.4%
in 1950
All-time low
6.7%
in 2020
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar, 1950–2020

102030401950198520201950: 42.4 %1955: 42.3 %1960: 41.1 %1965: 37.6 %1970: 34.3 %1975: 30.9 %1980: 26.5 %1985: 22.6 %1990: 20 %1995: 16.9 %2000: 13.7 %2005: 11.7 %2010: 7.1 %2015: 6.7 %2020: 6.7 %

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 Qatar stood at 6.7%. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Qatar peaked at 42.4% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 2020.

That places Qatar 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar, 1950 to 2020.
Year % Change
1950 42.4%
1955 42.3% -0.3%
1960 41.1% -2.8%
1965 37.6% -8.5%
1970 34.3% -8.7%
1975 30.9% -9.9%
1980 26.5% -14.4%
1985 22.6% -14.8%
1990 20.0% -11.1%
1995 16.9% -15.5%
2000 13.7% -18.9%
2005 11.7% -14.6%
2010 7.1% -39.5%
2015 6.7% -5.6%
2020 6.7% -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 42.3% 42.3% 42.4% 2
1960s 39.4% 37.6% 41.1% 2
1970s 32.6% 30.9% 34.3% 2
1980s 24.5% 22.6% 26.5% 2
1990s 18.5% 16.9% 20.0% 2
2000s 12.7% 11.7% 13.7% 2
2010s 6.9% 6.7% 7.1% 2
2020s 6.7% 6.7% 6.7% 1

Countries ranked near Qatar

  1. 214 Rwanda 7.9% compare
  2. 215 Cayman Islands 7.7% compare
  3. 216 Nauru 7.6% compare
  4. 218 Jordan 6.5% compare
  5. 219 Israel 6.4% compare
  6. 220 Palestine 5.9% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Qatar

All data for Qatar →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in rural areas in Qatar?
Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar was 6.7% 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 Qatar?
The highest recorded value was 42.4% in 1950.
What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Qatar?
The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 2020.
How does Qatar rank for share of population living in rural areas?
Qatar ranks 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Qatar?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Qatar 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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Share of population living in rural areas in Qatar. Statizoid, drawing on European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-rural-areas/qatar/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in rural areas
Unit
%
Source
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed

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.