Rural population as a share of total population fell 0.544% to 79.0% in Nepal in 2021, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, rural population as a share of total population in Nepal reached an all time high of 96.5% in 1960 and an all time low of 79.0% in 2021. When compared to Nepal's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in Bangladesh amounted to 61.1%, 57.0% in Bhutan, 37.5% in China and 64.6% in India in 2021.
Nepal has been ranked 9th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 2 places below 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% | ||||||||||||||||
| Bhutan | % | 61.3% | 60.6% | 59.8% | 59.1% | 58.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 44.5% | 43.3% | 42.0% | 40.8% | 39.7% | ||||||||||||||||
| India | % | 67.2% | 66.8% | 66.4% | 66.0% | 65.5% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 8.62% | 8.54% | 8.47% | 8.38% | 8.30% | ||||||||||||||||
| Myanmar | % | 70.1% | 69.9% | 69.7% | 69.4% | 69.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Nepal | % | 81.4% | 81.1% | 80.7% | 80.3% | 79.8% | ||||||||||||||||
| Pakistan | % | 64.0% | 63.8% | 63.6% | 63.3% | 63.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Russia | % | 26.0% | 25.8% | 25.7% | 25.6% | 25.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka | % | 81.7% | 81.7% | 81.6% | 81.5% | 81.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| USA | % | 18.3% | 18.1% | 17.9% | 17.7% | 17.5% |
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