Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia
Bolivia: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 71.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
71.6%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
97th
of 236 countries
All-time high
71.6%
in 2025
All-time low
35.0%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia is 71.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia peaked at 71.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 35.0%, in 1950.
Bolivia ranks 97th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 35.0% | — |
| 1951 | 35.2% | +0.6% |
| 1952 | 35.4% | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 35.6% | +0.6% |
| 1954 | 35.8% | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 36.0% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 36.2% | +0.5% |
| 1957 | 36.3% | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 36.5% | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 36.7% | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 36.9% | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 37.1% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 37.3% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 37.5% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 37.7% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 37.9% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 38.1% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 38.4% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 38.6% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 38.9% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 39.2% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 39.8% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 40.1% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 40.5% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 40.8% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 41.2% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 41.7% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 42.3% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 43.1% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 44.1% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 45.2% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 46.3% | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 47.5% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 48.8% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 50.1% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 51.3% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 52.6% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 53.8% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 54.9% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 55.9% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 56.8% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 57.6% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 58.2% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 58.8% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 59.4% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 59.9% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 60.4% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 60.9% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 61.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 61.9% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 62.3% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 62.8% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 63.3% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 63.8% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 64.2% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 64.7% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 65.1% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 65.5% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 66.0% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 66.4% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 66.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 67.3% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 67.7% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.0% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 68.4% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 68.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 69.1% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 69.4% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.7% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 70.0% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 70.3% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 70.6% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 70.9% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 71.2% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 71.6% | +0.5% |
Bolivia compared with similar countries
- Bolivia's 71.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bolivia's 71.6% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 99% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 35.9% | 35.0% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 37.8% | 36.9% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 40.8% | 39.2% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.5% | 44.1% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 58.9% | 55.9% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.0% | 61.9% | 66.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.2% | 66.4% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.8% | 70.0% | 71.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
More population data for Bolivia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1198 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.45 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1198 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0694 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 16,610 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.29 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5952 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 16.39 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 971,603 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bolivia was 71.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 71.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.0% in 1950.
- How does Bolivia rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Bolivia ranks 97th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bolivia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.