Rural areas are areas which are nottowns orcities. They are oftenfarming or agricultural areas. These areas are sometimes called "the country" or "countryside". People who live "in the country" often live in smallvillages, but they might also live somewhere where there are no other houses nearby.
Rural is theopposite ofurban, which means places such ascities wherebuildings and places where people work and live are all close together.
Many people who live in cities like to go to the country to relax. They go there forrecreation, often for theirholidays, or toread.
In theU.S., theUnited States Census Bureau, defines a "rural area" as sparsely populated and far fromurbancenters, which make up an estimated 3% of the land area of the U.S., but is home to more than 80% of the total population.
