Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Uruguay
Uruguay: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 86.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay stood at 86.2%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Uruguay peaked at 86.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 80.1%, in 1950.
Uruguay ranks 47th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 80.1% | — |
| 1955 | 81.1% | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 82.1% | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 83.1% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 83.6% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 84.0% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 84.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 84.0% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 84.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 84.2% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 84.6% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 85.1% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 85.7% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 86.2% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 86.2% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 80.6% | 80.1% | 81.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 82.6% | 82.1% | 83.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 83.8% | 83.6% | 84.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 84.0% | 84.0% | 84.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 84.1% | 84.0% | 84.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 84.8% | 84.6% | 85.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 86.0% | 85.7% | 86.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 86.2% | 86.2% | 86.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More reference data data for Uruguay
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2999 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3685 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2195 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 33.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.01 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Uruguay?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Uruguay was 86.2% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 86.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.1% in 1950.
- How does Uruguay rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Uruguay ranks 47th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.