Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mali
Mali: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 47.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mali, 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 Mali stood at 47.1%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mali peaked at 47.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 29.0%, in 1950.
That places Mali 211th 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 Mali, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 29.0% | — |
| 1955 | 29.3% | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 29.7% | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 30.2% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 30.7% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 31.6% | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 31.6% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 31.9% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 32.4% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 34.7% | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 37.3% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 40.0% | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 42.7% | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 44.8% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 47.1% | +5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 29.1% | 29.0% | 29.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 29.9% | 29.7% | 30.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 31.2% | 30.7% | 31.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 31.7% | 31.6% | 31.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 33.5% | 32.4% | 34.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 38.6% | 37.3% | 40.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 43.7% | 42.7% | 44.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 47.1% | 47.1% | 47.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mali
- 208 Niger 49.4% compare
- 209 Burkina Faso 49.4% compare
- 210 Timor-Leste 49.4% compare
- 212 Papua New Guinea 46.3% compare
- 213 Dominica 42.9% compare
- 214 Madagascar 42.9% compare
More reference data data for Mali
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3081 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4025 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.4728 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 39.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mali?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mali was 47.1% 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 47.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.0% in 1950.
- How does Mali rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Mali ranks 211th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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.