Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan
Pakistan: Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 58.92 million people in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 58.92 million people for number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan peaked at 58.92 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.09 million people, in 1950.
That places Pakistan 7th out of 182 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.09 million people | — |
| 1955 | 3.79 million people | +22.7% |
| 1960 | 4.71 million people | +24.3% |
| 1965 | 5.85 million people | +24.3% |
| 1970 | 7.27 million people | +24.3% |
| 1975 | 10.13 million people | +39.4% |
| 1980 | 12.27 million people | +21.2% |
| 1985 | 19.97 million people | +62.8% |
| 1990 | 23.21 million people | +16.2% |
| 1995 | 27.46 million people | +18.3% |
| 2000 | 32.89 million people | +19.8% |
| 2005 | 37.79 million people | +14.9% |
| 2010 | 44.64 million people | +18.1% |
| 2015 | 51.07 million people | +14.4% |
| 2020 | 58.92 million people | +15.4% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 58.92 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.42 million people, 24.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 58.92 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 4.23 million people, 13.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +62.8% | 12.27 million people | 19.97 million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.44 million people | 3.09 million people | 3.79 million people | 2 |
| 1960s | 5.28 million people | 4.71 million people | 5.85 million people | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.70 million people | 7.27 million people | 10.13 million people | 2 |
| 1980s | 16.12 million people | 12.27 million people | 19.97 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 25.34 million people | 23.21 million people | 27.46 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 35.34 million people | 32.89 million people | 37.79 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 47.86 million people | 44.64 million people | 51.07 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 58.92 million people | 58.92 million people | 58.92 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan?
- Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents in Pakistan was 58.92 million people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 58.92 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.09 million people in 1950.
- How does Pakistan rank for number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- Pakistan ranks 7th out of 182 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.