Share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda

Rwanda: Share of population living in rural areas was 7.91 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
7.91
World rank
207th
of 229 countries
All-time high
58.64
in 1950
All-time low
7.91
in 2020
Years of data
15
1950–2020

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

02040601950198520201950: 58.61955: 54.21960: 49.81965: 46.31970: 42.31975: 38.51980: 34.31985: 27.91990: 22.11995: 34.72000: 20.22005: 18.42010: 14.72015: 10.82020: 7.9

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda is 7.91, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda peaked at 58.64 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 7.91, in 2020.

Rwanda ranks 207th of 229 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 58.64
1955 54.15 -7.6%
1960 49.81 -8.0%
1965 46.29 -7.1%
1970 42.32 -8.6%
1975 38.5 -9.0%
1980 34.34 -10.8%
1985 27.9 -18.8%
1990 22.11 -20.8%
1995 34.67 +56.8%
2000 20.22 -41.7%
2005 18.43 -8.8%
2010 14.65 -20.5%
2015 10.83 -26.1%
2020 7.91 -27.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 56.39 54.15 58.64 2
1960s 48.05 46.29 49.81 2
1970s 40.41 38.5 42.32 2
1980s 31.12 27.9 34.34 2
1990s 28.39 22.11 34.67 2
2000s 19.32 18.43 20.22 2
2010s 12.74 10.83 14.65 2
2020s 7.91 7.91 7.91 1

Countries ranked near Rwanda

  1. 204 Guernsey 9.11 compare
  2. 205 Japan 8.87 compare
  3. 206 Congo 8.27 compare
  4. 208 Cayman Islands 7.72 compare
  5. 209 Nauru 7.64 compare
  6. 210 Qatar 6.68 compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Rwanda

All data for Rwanda →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda?
Share of population living in rural areas in Rwanda was 7.91 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
The highest recorded value was 58.64 in 1950.
What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Rwanda?
The lowest recorded value was 7.91 in 2020.
How does Rwanda rank for share of population living in rural areas?
Rwanda ranks 207th out of 229 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Rwanda?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Rwanda data come from?
The figures come from 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 Rwanda. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-rural-areas/rwanda/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in rural areas
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 3,540 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed