Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 98.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh stood at 98.0%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh peaked at 98.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 76.4%, in 1950.
Bangladesh ranks 8th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 76.4% | — |
| 1955 | 78.6% | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 81.0% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 83.4% | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 85.7% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 87.4% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 90.1% | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 93.1% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 94.7% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 95.5% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 96.1% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 96.6% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 97.1% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 97.5% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 98.0% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 77.5% | 76.4% | 78.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 82.2% | 81.0% | 83.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 86.5% | 85.7% | 87.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 91.6% | 90.1% | 93.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 95.1% | 94.7% | 95.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 96.4% | 96.1% | 96.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 97.3% | 97.1% | 97.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 98.0% | 98.0% | 98.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
- 5 Macau, China 99.8% compare
- 6 Hong Kong, China 99.5% compare
- 7 Bermuda 98.4% compare
- 9 Bahrain 97.9% compare
- 10 Egypt 96.9% compare
- 11 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 96.8% compare
More reference data data for Bangladesh
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.46 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 24.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 24.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 37.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 105.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.25 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh was 98.0% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 98.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.4% in 1950.
- How does Bangladesh rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Bangladesh ranks 8th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.