Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 30.0% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu is 30.0%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu peaked at 30.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1950.
That places Vanuatu 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.0% | — |
| 1955 | 0.0% | — |
| 1960 | 0.0% | — |
| 1965 | 0.0% | — |
| 1970 | 7.7% | — |
| 1975 | 9.0% | +16.7% |
| 1980 | 11.6% | +29.3% |
| 1985 | 13.4% | +15.6% |
| 1990 | 20.0% | +49.3% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | +8.7% |
| 2000 | 23.3% | +7.0% |
| 2005 | 25.8% | +10.7% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 28.1% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 30.0% | +6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.3% | 7.7% | 9.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 12.5% | 11.6% | 13.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 20.9% | 20.0% | 21.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 24.5% | 23.3% | 25.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 27.4% | 28.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 30.0% | 30.0% | 30.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 221 Zimbabwe 33.6% compare
- 222 Lao People's Democratic Republic 30.6% compare
- 223 Bhutan 30.5% compare
- 225 Micronesia, Federated States of 29.4% compare
- 226 Eswatini 23.5% compare
- 227 Solomon Islands 21.9% compare
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5857 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Crop Residues 0.089 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4612 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 137.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 0.0262 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0174 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0658 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0994 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu was 30.0% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1950.
- How does Vanuatu rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Vanuatu ranks 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.