Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives
Maldives: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 56.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives is 56.5%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives peaked at 56.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 1950.
Maldives ranks 191st of 236 countries on this measure, 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 Maldives, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.9% | — |
| 1955 | 13.9% | +7.8% |
| 1960 | 15.2% | +9.3% |
| 1965 | 16.7% | +10.2% |
| 1970 | 19.0% | +13.9% |
| 1975 | 21.3% | +11.7% |
| 1980 | 29.6% | +39.1% |
| 1985 | 33.0% | +11.5% |
| 1990 | 40.3% | +22.1% |
| 1995 | 41.3% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 42.5% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 44.8% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 47.8% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 50.8% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 56.5% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 12.9% | 13.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 15.9% | 15.2% | 16.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 20.2% | 19.0% | 21.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 31.3% | 29.6% | 33.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 40.8% | 40.3% | 41.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 43.6% | 42.5% | 44.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 47.8% | 50.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 56.5% | 56.5% | 56.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More reference data data for Maldives
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0011 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0011 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 1.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Crop Residues 0.012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 0.0004 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Maldives was 56.5% 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 Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 1950.
- How does Maldives rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Maldives ranks 191st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Maldives 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.