Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar
Madagascar: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 42.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Madagascar recorded 42.9% 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 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar peaked at 42.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 1950.
That places Madagascar 214th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Madagascar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.8% | — |
| 1955 | 14.0% | +9.2% |
| 1960 | 15.3% | +9.4% |
| 1965 | 16.7% | +9.4% |
| 1970 | 18.4% | +9.8% |
| 1975 | 20.3% | +10.7% |
| 1980 | 22.3% | +9.8% |
| 1985 | 24.3% | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 26.6% | +9.3% |
| 1995 | 28.9% | +8.6% |
| 2000 | 31.2% | +8.3% |
| 2005 | 33.4% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 36.0% | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 39.5% | +9.6% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | +8.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 12.8% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 16.0% | 15.3% | 16.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 19.3% | 18.4% | 20.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 23.3% | 22.3% | 24.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 27.7% | 26.6% | 28.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 32.3% | 31.2% | 33.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 37.8% | 36.0% | 39.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 42.9% | 42.9% | 42.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
More reference data data for Madagascar
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 5.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4503 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 5.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.43 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 26.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 32.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.45 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar was 42.9% 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 Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 42.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 1950.
- How does Madagascar rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Madagascar ranks 214th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Madagascar 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.