British Virgin Islands: Rural population

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, British Virgin Islands' rural population fell 1.4% on 2024 (from 17,167 to 16,928).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1.7% and a typical year strayed about 2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.3% in 1969 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.9% in 2017. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 23% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, British Virgin Islands had the 193rd highest value of the 217 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to British Virgin Islands in the 2025 ranking

• Iceland — 190th of 217: 22,689
• Qatar — 191st of 217: 19,042
• Dominica — 192nd of 217: 17,136
• Curaçao — 194th of 217: 13,325
• Guam — 195th of 217: 9,769
• Andorra — 196th of 217: 9,161

What this measures

Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Limitations: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers. Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 66 values

Rural population in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 71,285 (2025)
• Argentina — 3.51 million (2025)
• Aruba — 41,612 (2025)
• Bahamas, The — 75,243 (2025)
• Barbados — 113,898 (2025)
• Belize — 247,148 (2025)
• Bolivia — 3.58 million (2025)
• Brazil — 25.16 million (2025)
• Cayman Islands — 0 (2025)
• Chile — 2.15 million (2025)
• Colombia — 11.34 million (2025)
• Costa Rica — 1.04 million (2025)

More environment data for British Virgin Islands

• Rural population (% of total population) — 42.6% (2025)
• Urban population — 22,804 (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 57.4% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 1 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 1,128 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons) — 1,129 (2024)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — -1.4% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %) — 2.22% (2025)
• Agricultural land (sq. km) — 57 (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is British Virgin Islands's rural population?

16,928 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 142.35% from 6,985 in 1960 (1.37% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 17,426 in 2015 and the lowest 6,985 in 1960.

How does British Virgin Islands rank?

193rd highest of 217 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in rural population unusual for British Virgin Islands?

In 2025, British Virgin Islands' rural population fell 1.4% on 2024 (from 17,167 to 16,928). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1.7% and a typical year strayed about 2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SP.RUR.TOTL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: https://population.un.org/wup/, note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, National definitions, publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Wo… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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