Rural population as a share of total population fell 0.181% to 81.1% in Sri Lanka in 2021, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, rural population as a share of total population in Sri Lanka reached an all time high of 83.6% in 1960 and an all time low of 81.1% in 2021. When compared to Sri Lanka's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in India amounted to 64.6%, 22.3% in Malaysia, 58.9% in Maldives and 68.6% in Myanmar in 2021.
Sri Lanka has been ranked 7th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 3 places above the position seen 10 years ago.
| Rural Population (As % of Total) | Unit | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Bangladesh | % | 65.7% | 64.9% | 64.1% | 63.4% | 62.6% | ||||||||||||||||
| Cambodia | % | 77.8% | 77.4% | 77.0% | 76.6% | 76.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 44.5% | 43.3% | 42.0% | 40.8% | 39.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| India | % | 67.2% | 66.8% | 66.4% | 66.0% | 65.5% | ||||||||||||||||
| Indonesia | % | 46.7% | 46.0% | 45.3% | 44.7% | 44.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| Laos | % | 66.9% | 66.3% | 65.6% | 65.0% | 64.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Malaysia | % | 25.8% | 25.2% | 24.6% | 24.0% | 23.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Maldives | % | 61.5% | 61.0% | 60.6% | 60.2% | 59.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Myanmar | % | 70.1% | 69.9% | 69.7% | 69.4% | 69.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Pakistan | % | 64.0% | 63.8% | 63.6% | 63.3% | 63.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Singapore | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Sri Lanka | % | 81.7% | 81.7% | 81.6% | 81.5% | 81.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Thailand | % | 52.3% | 51.6% | 50.8% | 50.1% | 49.3% | ||||||||||||||||
| Vietnam | % | 66.2% | 65.5% | 64.8% | 64.1% | 63.4% |
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