Largest Rural Population Share
Largest Rural Population Share: the dated top ten, the source and what this rural population as % of total population comparison tells us.
In this 2024 source snapshot, Liechtenstein has the highest reported value among eligible entries: 85.34. Papua New Guinea follows at 84.59. The unit is rural population as % of total population.
About the data
Snapshot retrieved 14 October 2026. 199 eligible observations. Among supported countries and separately reported territories with data. Missing observations are excluded, not treated as zero. Rankings use unrounded values; displayed values are rounded to two decimals.
| Country | Value |
|---|---|
| Liechtenstein | 85.34 |
| Papua New Guinea | 84.59 |
| Malawi | 82.73 |
| Samoa | 82.5 |
| Niger | 81.95 |
| Sri Lanka | 79.7 |
| Tonga | 78.85 |
| South Sudan | 78.62 |
| Vanuatu | 77.71 |
| Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 77.54 |
What the numbers mean
Rural population share depends on the national definition of urban. It does not simply measure farms or remoteness. The classification helps explain surprising entries such as Liechtenstein: a place can be developed and closely connected while many residents are classified as rural. Do not read this as a ranking of development.
Where the top ten ends
The tenth entry is Micronesia, Fed. Sts. at 77.54. This is a cutoff within the published comparison, not evidence that countries outside the table have no activity. The date and coverage are part of the answer: updating the source or changing the eligible territories can change who appears.
Source and method
Snapshot retrieved 14 October 2026. 199 eligible observations. Among supported countries and separately reported territories with data. Missing observations are excluded, not treated as zero. Rankings use unrounded values; displayed values are rounded to two decimals.
Source: World Bank