Low income Countries 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
Malawi ranks #1 with 82.4% of population. Niger is second with 81.6% of population, 0.95% behind. The top five are Malawi, Niger, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Burundi. The median across all 25 is 65.5% of population; Syrian Arab Republic is last at 27.9% of population. Malawi's figure has fallen 3% since 2001 (85.2% of population to 82.4% of population in 2025).
- #1
- Malawi · 82.4% of population
- Median
- 65.5% of population
- Coverage
- 25 Low income countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Rural population share (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malawi | 82.4 |
| 2 | Niger | 81.6 |
| 3 | South Sudan | 78.3 |
| 4 | Ethiopia | 75.9 |
| 5 | Burundi | 74.3 |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 74.1 |
| 7 | Chad | 72.4 |
| 8 | Burkina Faso | 71.1 |
| 9 | Rwanda | 69.1 |
| 10 | Uganda | 68.1 |
| 11 | Mali | 67.8 |
| 12 | Madagascar | 67.1 |
| 13 | Eritrea | 65.5 |
| 14 | Sudan | 65.1 |
| 15 | Yemen, Rep. | 63 |
| 16 | Mozambique | 62.8 |
| 17 | Central African Republic | 55.4 |
| 18 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 54.9 |
| 19 | Sierra Leone | 54.1 |
| 20 | Guinea-Bissau | 53.3 |
| 21 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 44.9 |
| 22 | Liberia | 43.9 |
| 23 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 35.8 |
| 24 | Gambia, The | 35 |
| 25 | Syrian Arab Republic | 27.9 |
About the top 10
#1 Malawi
Malawi ranks #1 on this list with 82.4% of population.
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 22.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$14.92 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$671.5 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (primary) · #3 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #3 in poverty headcount ratio.
#2 Niger
Niger ranks #2 on this list with 81.6% of population.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#3 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #3 on this list with 78.3% of population.
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#4 Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranks #4 on this list with 75.9% of population.
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 135.47 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$126.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$932.7 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 24.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Addis Ababa.
Also ranks #3 in children out of school (primary) · #6 in rural population · #6 in gdp growth rate.
#5 Burundi
Burundi ranks #5 on this list with 74.3% of population.
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#6 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #6 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.
#7 Chad
Chad ranks #7 on this list with 72.4% of population.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#8 Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso ranks #8 on this list with 71.1% of population.
- Capital
- Ouagadougou
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 24.08 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.63 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ouagadougou.
Also ranks #7 in mineral rents share of gdp · #9 in children out of school (primary) · #11 in under-5 mortality rate.
#9 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #9 on this list with 69.1% of population.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#10 Uganda
Uganda ranks #10 on this list with 68.1% of population.
- Capital
- Kampala
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$61.99 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,206 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kampala.
Also ranks #6 in renewable energy share · #6 in refugee population by asylum · #7 in agricultural land share.
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.