Rural population, female in South Asia
South Asia: Rural population, female was 33.2% in 2015. ▼ Falling
Rural population, female in South Asia, 1980–2015
Source: The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, female in South Asia is 33.2%, measured in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, female in South Asia peaked at 37.9% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 33.2%, in 2015.
South Asia ranks 5th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
Rural population, female in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 37.9% | — |
| 1985 | 37.2% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 36.7% | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 36.1% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 34.9% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 34.0% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 33.2% | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 37.6% | 37.2% | 37.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 36.4% | 36.1% | 36.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 35.2% | 34.9% | 35.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 33.6% | 33.2% | 34.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More gender data for South Asia
- Labor force, female 206.42 million (2025)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.122 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 58.22 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 105.4% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 11.07 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, male 11.09 years (2019)
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions 11.4% (2025)
- Women of reproductive age 512.73 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, female in South Asia?
- Rural population, female in South Asia was 33.2% in 2015, according to The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects.
- What is the highest rural population, female recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.9% in 1980.
- What is the lowest rural population, female recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.2% in 2015.
- How does South Asia rank for rural population, female?
- South Asia ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2015.
- Is rural population, female rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, published as part of Rural population, female (% of total). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female rural population is the percentage of females who live in rural areas to total population.