Population, territory and sustainable development

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As a result of the absolute and relative decreases in the rural population during the period under
study, given the slowing (and, in some cases, negative) growth rates of the rural population, the
differential between the urban and rural rates has been widening (see figure IV.3).
Figure IV.3
LATIN AMERICA: GROWTH RATE OF THE RURAL POPULATION DURING THE INTERCENSAL
PERIOD 1990-2000 AND PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION LIVING
IN URBAN AREAS, 2000 CENSUS
(Per 100 inhabitants, percentages)
2.0
1.5
HA
GT
NI
BO
Urban population as a percentage of the total
1.0
0.5
0.0
-0.5
-1.0
-1.5
HN
PY
CR
EC
PM
SV
DO
MX
CO
PE
ALC
CU
BR
CL
AR
UY
-2.0
-2.5
r = -0.82
VE
-3.0
40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Growth rate of rural population
Source: Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC, on the basis of information
from the Spatial Distribution and Urbanization in Latin America and the Caribbean (DEPUALC) database, 2010.
As can be seen from figure IV.3, there is a clear-cut negative correlation between the percentage
of the population living in urban areas and the growth rate of the rural population. The countries in the
upper left-hand corner of the figure are undergoing a full-fledged urbanization process, as their urban
populations are still smaller than the regional mean and the growth rates of their rural populations are
high. These countries should really be divided into two groups, however. The first group, which includes
Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, still have quite small urban populations and still exhibit high rural
population growth rates; the second group, made up of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Costa Rica,
Ecuador, Nicaragua and Paraguay, are further along in the urbanization process, although they still have a
long way to go, since their rural population growth rates are still considerably higher than the regional
average. The countries in the lower right-hand quadrant (Argentina, the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay) have the largest urban populations in relative terms, as their
urbanization processes are at a quite advanced stage, and their rural population growth rates are therefore
negative. Four countries —Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Peru— are quite close to the regional mean and
have relatively small rural populations (less than 25% of the total population). Colombia, Mexico and
Peru have a positive rural population growth rate, however, whereas Cuba has a negative one. Finally, the