Countries in Asia Ranked by Rural population share (2025)
Rural population share: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Sri Lanka ranks #1 with 79.6% of population. Afghanistan is second with 74.1% of population, 7.4% behind. The top five are Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste and Myanmar. The median across all 49 is 34.1% of population; Singapore is last at 0% of population. Sri Lanka's figure has fallen 7% since 2001 (85.4% of population to 79.6% of population in 2025).
- #1
- Sri Lanka · 79.6% of population
- Median
- 34.1% of population
- Coverage
- 49 countries in Asia
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Rural population share (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 79.6 |
| 2 | Afghanistan | 74.1 |
| 3 | Tajikistan | 73.8 |
| 4 | Timor-Leste | 71.2 |
| 5 | Myanmar | 69.4 |
| 6 | Bangladesh | 66.8 |
| 7 | Kyrgyz Republic | 65.3 |
| 8 | India | 64.3 |
| 9 | Yemen, Rep. | 63 |
| 10 | Viet Nam | 61.2 |
| 11 | Pakistan | 60.5 |
| 12 | Lao PDR | 59.7 |
| 13 | Cambodia | 58.9 |
| 14 | Maldives | 57.5 |
| 15 | Bhutan | 56.6 |
| 16 | Turkmenistan | 52.9 |
| 17 | Uzbekistan | 49 |
| 18 | Philippines | 44.2 |
| 19 | Azerbaijan | 41.4 |
| 20 | Indonesia | 40.6 |
| 21 | Georgia | 38.8 |
| 22 | Kazakhstan | 37.6 |
| 23 | Thailand | 37.2 |
| 24 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 35.8 |
| 25 | Armenia | 34.1 |
| 26 | China | 33.7 |
| 27 | Nepal | 33 |
| 28 | Iraq | 30.1 |
| 29 | Mongolia | 28.9 |
| 30 | Syrian Arab Republic | 27.9 |
| 31 | Brunei Darussalam | 25 |
| 32 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 22.6 |
| 33 | Malaysia | 22.6 |
| 34 | Oman | 20.5 |
| 35 | Korea, Rep. | 18.8 |
| 36 | Saudi Arabia | 15.4 |
| 37 | United Arab Emirates | 14 |
| 38 | West Bank and Gaza | 12.6 |
| 39 | Türkiye | 10.5 |
| 40 | Lebanon | 9.04 |
| 41 | Israel | 8.42 |
| 42 | Japan | 7.7 |
| 43 | Jordan | 6.79 |
| 44 | Qatar | 0.641 |
| 45 | Bahrain | 0 |
| 46 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0 |
| 47 | Kuwait | 0 |
| 48 | Macao SAR, China | 0 |
| 49 | Singapore | 0 |
About the top 10
#1 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka ranks #1 on this list with 79.6% of population.
- Capital
- Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 21.76 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$108.83 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,002 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 20.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in rural population share · #9 in immunisation (measles) rate · #13 in prevalence of wasting (under-5).
#2 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #2 on this list with 74.1% of population.
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added share of gdp.
#3 Tajikistan
Tajikistan ranks #3 on this list with 73.8% of population.
- Capital
- Dushanbe
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 10.79 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,637 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in livestock production index · #9 in gdp growth rate · #12 in gross savings rate.
#4 Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste ranks #4 on this list with 71.2% of population.
- Capital
- Dili
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.42 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,341 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in smoking prevalence · #3 in government revenue share of gdp · #4 in prevalence of stunting (under-5).
#5 Myanmar
Myanmar ranks #5 on this list with 69.4% of population.
- Capital
- Naypyidaw
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 54.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$81.67 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyidaw.
Also ranks #3 in smoking prevalence · #6 in refugee population by origin · #8 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
#6 Bangladesh
Bangladesh ranks #6 on this list with 66.8% of population.
- Capital
- Dhaka
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 175.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$456.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 33.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur.
Also ranks #1 in arable land share · #2 in irrigated land share · #2 in low-birthweight babies share.
#7 Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Republic ranks #7 on this list with 65.3% of population.
- Capital
- Bishkek
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.34 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.62 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,081 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bishkek.
Also ranks #5 in gdp growth rate · #8 in income share of poorest 10% · #10 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#8 India
India ranks #8 on this list with 64.3% of population.
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.46 billion people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.96 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,703 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 35.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru.
Also ranks #1 in population · #1 in rural population · #1 in remittances received.
#9 Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep. ranks #9 on this list with 63% of population.
- Capital
- Sanaa, Aden
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 41.77 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 398,000 arrivals (2015)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.
#10 Viet Nam
Viet Nam ranks #10 on this list with 61.2% of population.
- Capital
- Hanoi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 101.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$514.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,066 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Đồng Nai.
Also ranks #3 in official exchange rate · #4 in fish production · #6 in container port traffic.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Rural population share: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Rural population (% of total population): World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospe.
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.