Rural population, male in China

China: Rural population, male was 23.0% in 2015. ▼ Falling

Latest (2015)
23.0%
World rank
85th
of 192 countries
All-time high
41.4%
in 1980
All-time low
23.0%
in 2015
Years of data
8
1980–2015

Rural population, male in China, 1980–2015

0102030401980199720151980: 41.4 % of total1985: 39.7 % of total1990: 37.8 % of total1995: 35.8 % of total2000: 33.2 % of total2005: 29.8 % of total2010: 26.3 % of total2015: 23 % of total

Source: The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects. Measured in % of total.

Analysis

China recorded 23.0% for rural population, male in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.

The figure is down 22.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rural population, male in China peaked at 41.4% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 2015.

That places China 85th out of 192 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the middle of the range.

Rural population, male in China, year by year

Annual values for Rural population, male (% of total) in China, 1980 to 2015.
Year % of total Change
1980 41.4%
1985 39.7% -4.1%
1990 37.8% -4.9%
1995 35.8% -5.3%
2000 33.2% -7.3%
2005 29.8% -10.3%
2010 26.3% -11.7%
2015 23.0% -12.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 40.6% 39.7% 41.4% 2
1990s 36.8% 35.8% 37.8% 2
2000s 31.5% 29.8% 33.2% 2
2010s 24.6% 23.0% 26.3% 2

Countries ranked near China

  1. 82 Ghana 23.2% compare
  2. 83 Seychelles 23.2% compare
  3. 84 Cote d'Ivoire 23.1% compare
  4. 86 Jamaica 23.0% compare
  5. 87 Slovakia 22.9% compare
  6. 88 Azerbaijan 22.7% compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More gender data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is rural population, male in China?
Rural population, male in China was 23.0% in 2015, according to The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects.
What is the highest rural population, male recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 1980.
What is the lowest rural population, male recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 2015.
How does China rank for rural population, male?
China ranks 85th out of 192 countries with data for 2015.
Is rural population, male rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, published as part of Rural population, male (% of total). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rural population, male in China. Statizoid, drawing on The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/rural-population-male-percent-of-total/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population, male (% of total)
Unit
% of total
Source
The United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
241 places, 1,928 data points, 1980–2015
Last refreshed

Male rural population is the percentage males who live in rural areas to total population.