Rural population as a share of total population fell 1.17% to 55.0% in Bhutan in 2024, according to the National Statistical Office.
Historically, rural population as a share of total population in Bhutan reached an all time high of 96.4% in 1960 and an all time low of 55.0% in 2024. When compared to Bhutan's main peers, rural population as a share of total population in Bangladesh amounted to 58.8%, 34.5% in China, 63.1% in India and 77.6% in Nepal in 2024.
Bhutan has been ranked 44th within the group of 171 countries we follow in terms of rural population as a share of total population, 6 places below the position seen 10 years ago.
| Rural Population (As % of Total) | Unit | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Bangladesh | % | 63.4% | 62.6% | 61.8% | 61.1% | 60.3% | ||||||||||||||||
| Bhutan | % | 59.1% | 58.4% | 57.7% | 57.0% | 56.3% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 40.8% | 39.7% | 38.6% | 37.5% | 36.4% | ||||||||||||||||
| India | % | 66.0% | 65.5% | 65.1% | 64.6% | 64.1% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 8.38% | 8.30% | 8.22% | 8.13% | 8.05% | ||||||||||||||||
| Myanmar | % | 69.4% | 69.1% | 68.9% | 68.6% | 68.2% | ||||||||||||||||
| Nepal | % | 80.3% | 79.8% | 79.4% | 79.0% | 78.5% | ||||||||||||||||
| Pakistan | % | 63.3% | 63.1% | 62.8% | 62.6% | 62.3% | ||||||||||||||||
| Russia | % | 25.6% | 25.4% | 25.2% | 25.1% | 24.9% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sri Lanka | % | 81.5% | 81.4% | 81.3% | 81.1% | 81.0% | ||||||||||||||||
| USA | % | 17.7% | 17.5% | 17.3% | 17.1% | 16.9% |
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