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Countries in South America 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

Guyana ranks #1 with 73.5% of population. That is 2 times Ecuador in second place (36.6% of population). The top five are Guyana, Ecuador, Suriname, Paraguay and Bolivia. The median across all 12 is 17.8% of population; Uruguay is last at 4.35% of population. Guyana's figure has risen 3% since 2001 (71.4% of population to 73.5% of population in 2025).

#1
Guyana · 73.5% of population
Median
17.8% of population
Coverage
12 countries in South America
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: Rural population shareBar chart of the top 10: 1. Guyana 73.5; 2. Ecuador 36.6; 3. Suriname 34.2; 4. Paraguay 29.6; 5. Bolivia 28.4; 6. Colombia 21.2; 7. Peru 14.4; 8. Brazil 11.8; 9. Chile 10.8; 10. Venezuela, RB 10.7.Guyana73.5Ecuador36.6Suriname34.2Paraguay29.6Bolivia28.4Colombia21.2Peru14.4Brazil11.8Chile10.8Venezuela, RB10.7
Top 10: Rural population share (% of population). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Guyana 73.5; 2. Ecuador 36.6; 3. Suriname 34.2; 4. Paraguay 29.6; 5. Bolivia 28.4; 6. Colombia 21.2; 7. Peru 14.4; 8. Brazil 11.8; 9. Chile 10.8; 10. Venezuela, RB 10.7.
Rural population share over time, top 5Guyana: 71.4 in 2001 to 73.5 in 2025; Ecuador: 39 in 2001 to 36.6 in 2025; Suriname: 33.3 in 2001 to 34.2 in 2025; Paraguay: 42 in 2001 to 29.6 in 2025; Bolivia: 37.7 in 2001 to 28.4 in 2025.018.436.855.273.6200120132025GuyanaEcuadorSurinameParaguayBolivia
Rural population share over time, top 5 (% of population). Guyana: 71.4 in 2001 to 73.5 in 2025; Ecuador: 39 in 2001 to 36.6 in 2025; Suriname: 33.3 in 2001 to 34.2 in 2025; Paraguay: 42 in 2001 to 29.6 in 2025; Bolivia: 37.7 in 2001 to 28.4 in 2025.

Full ranking

Countries in South America Ranked by Rural population share, 2025
RankCountryRural population share (% of population)
1Guyana73.5
2Ecuador36.6
3Suriname34.2
4Paraguay29.6
5Bolivia28.4
6Colombia21.2
7Peru14.4
8Brazil11.8
9Chile10.8
10Venezuela, RB10.7
11Argentina7.65
12Uruguay4.35

About the top 10

#10 Venezuela, RB

Venezuela, RB ranks #10 on this list with 10.7% of population.

Capital
Caracas
Continent
South America
Income group
Lower middle income
Population
28.52 million people (2025)
GDP
US$99.66 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$3,495 (2025)
Life expectancy
72.7 years (2024)
Urban population
89.3% of population (2025)

Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.

Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.

Full country profile

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

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.