Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mozambique
Mozambique: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 50.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mozambique, 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 Mozambique is 50.0%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mozambique peaked at 50.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 36.0%, in 1950.
That places Mozambique 207th 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 Mozambique, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 36.0% | — |
| 1955 | 36.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 36.2% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 37.2% | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 38.4% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 40.6% | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 43.4% | +7.0% |
| 1985 | 45.0% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 46.4% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 49.6% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 49.9% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 50.2% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 50.9% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 50.0% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36.0% | 36.0% | 36.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 36.7% | 36.2% | 37.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 39.5% | 38.4% | 40.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 44.2% | 43.4% | 45.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.7% | 46.4% | 49.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 49.7% | 49.6% | 49.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 50.5% | 50.2% | 50.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
- 204 Chad 51.5% compare
- 205 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51.2% compare
- 206 Slovenia 50.3% compare
- 208 Niger 49.4% compare
- 209 Burkina Faso 49.4% compare
- 210 Timor-Leste 49.4% compare
More reference data data for Mozambique
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.06 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2808 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 9.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.53 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mozambique?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Mozambique was 50.0% 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 Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 50.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.0% in 1950.
- How does Mozambique rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Mozambique ranks 207th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mozambique 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.