how many canadians live in rural parts of canada
This number has been relatively stable since 1991, while the population living outside of rural areas has been rising steadily. Consequently, the proportion of Canadians who live in rural areas has been dropping and in 2011 fell below 1 in 5 Canadians to 18.9% (Figure 1). Figure 1. Proportion of the population living in rural areas, Canada, 1851 to 2011. In 1851, nearly 9 in 10 Canadians lived in rural areas. At that time, the Canadian economy was based more on the primary sector than today, led by agriculture and the exploitation of natural resources, such as wood or coal.