Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana
Guyana: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 26.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
26.5%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
218th
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.1%
in 1970
All-time low
26.4%
in 2011
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana, 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 Guyana is 26.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana peaked at 30.1% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 26.4%, in 2011.
That places Guyana 218th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 28.1% | — |
| 1951 | 28.2% | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 28.3% | +0.3% |
| 1953 | 28.4% | +0.3% |
| 1954 | 28.4% | +0.3% |
| 1955 | 28.5% | +0.3% |
| 1956 | 28.6% | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 28.7% | +0.3% |
| 1958 | 28.8% | +0.3% |
| 1959 | 28.9% | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 29.0% | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 29.1% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 29.3% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 29.4% | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 29.6% | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 29.7% | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 29.9% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 30.0% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 30.1% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 30.1% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 30.1% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 30.1% | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 30.0% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 30.0% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 29.9% | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 29.8% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 29.7% | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 29.6% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 29.6% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 29.5% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 29.5% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 29.5% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 29.6% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 29.6% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 29.5% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 29.4% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 29.2% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 29.0% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 28.9% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 28.8% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 28.5% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 28.3% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 28.1% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 27.8% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 27.5% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 27.1% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 26.9% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 26.6% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 26.5% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 26.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 26.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 26.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 26.5% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 26.5% | +0.1% |
Guyana compared with similar countries
- Guyana's 26.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 33% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Guyana's 26.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 37% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.5% | 28.1% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 29.6% | 29.0% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.8% | 29.5% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.5% | 29.5% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.3% | 28.9% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.8% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.4% | 26.4% | 26.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.5% | 26.4% | 26.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guyana
- 215 East Timor 28.8% compare
- 216 Chad 27.6% compare
- 217 Eswatini 26.7% compare
- 219 Tajikistan 26.2% compare
- 220 Afghanistan 25.9% compare
- 221 Burundi 25.7% compare
More population data for Guyana
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4087 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2155 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4087 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 878.75 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4789 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8214 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Population density 4.52 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 45,520 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Guyana was 26.5% 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 Guyana?
- The highest recorded value was 30.1% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Guyana?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.4% in 2011.
- How does Guyana rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Guyana ranks 218th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Guyana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Guyana 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.