Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Chile
Chile: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 81.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Chile, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Chile recorded 81.8% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Chile peaked at 81.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 57.3%, in 1950.
Chile ranks 75th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Chile, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 57.3% | — |
| 1955 | 59.9% | +4.5% |
| 1960 | 62.6% | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 65.1% | +4.0% |
| 1970 | 67.2% | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 69.1% | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 70.8% | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 71.9% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 72.5% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 74.6% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 76.7% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 78.8% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 80.6% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 81.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 81.8% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 58.6% | 57.3% | 59.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 63.9% | 62.6% | 65.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 68.2% | 67.2% | 69.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 71.3% | 70.8% | 71.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 73.5% | 72.5% | 74.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 77.8% | 76.7% | 78.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 81.0% | 80.6% | 81.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 81.8% | 81.8% | 81.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Chile
- 72 Australia 82.2% compare
- 73 Cuba 82.1% compare
- 74 Montenegro 81.8% compare
- 76 Colombia 81.5% compare
- 77 Puerto Rico 80.9% compare
- 78 Brunei Darussalam 80.8% compare
More reference data data for Chile
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9268 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2204 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 5.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.46 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.2 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Chile?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Chile was 81.8% 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 Chile?
- The highest recorded value was 81.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Chile?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.3% in 1950.
- How does Chile rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Chile ranks 75th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Chile?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Chile 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.