Urban area over the long-term in India
India: Urban area over the long-term was 42,636 km² per grid cell in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
42,636 km² per grid cell
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
3rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
42,636 km² per grid cell
in 2025
All-time low
2,365 km² per grid cell
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Urban area over the long-term in India, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in km² per grid cell.
Analysis
In 2025, urban area over the long-term in India stood at 42,636 km² per grid cell. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 40.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban area over the long-term in India peaked at 42,636 km² per grid cell in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2,365 km² per grid cell, in 1000.
That places India 3rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 2,365 km² per grid cell | 2,365 km² per grid cell | 2,365 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1100s | 2,549 km² per grid cell | 2,549 km² per grid cell | 2,549 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1200s | 2,741 km² per grid cell | 2,741 km² per grid cell | 2,741 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1300s | 2,939 km² per grid cell | 2,939 km² per grid cell | 2,939 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1400s | 3,144 km² per grid cell | 3,144 km² per grid cell | 3,144 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1500s | 3,356 km² per grid cell | 3,356 km² per grid cell | 3,356 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1600s | 3,962 km² per grid cell | 3,962 km² per grid cell | 3,962 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1700s | 4,520 km² per grid cell | 4,520 km² per grid cell | 4,520 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1710s | 4,587 km² per grid cell | 4,587 km² per grid cell | 4,587 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1720s | 4,653 km² per grid cell | 4,653 km² per grid cell | 4,653 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1730s | 4,718 km² per grid cell | 4,718 km² per grid cell | 4,718 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1740s | 4,781 km² per grid cell | 4,781 km² per grid cell | 4,781 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1750s | 4,842 km² per grid cell | 4,842 km² per grid cell | 4,842 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1760s | 4,903 km² per grid cell | 4,903 km² per grid cell | 4,903 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1770s | 4,962 km² per grid cell | 4,962 km² per grid cell | 4,962 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1780s | 5,019 km² per grid cell | 5,019 km² per grid cell | 5,019 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1790s | 5,075 km² per grid cell | 5,075 km² per grid cell | 5,075 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1800s | 5,129 km² per grid cell | 5,129 km² per grid cell | 5,129 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1810s | 5,223 km² per grid cell | 5,223 km² per grid cell | 5,223 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1820s | 4,813 km² per grid cell | 4,813 km² per grid cell | 4,813 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1830s | 5,071 km² per grid cell | 5,071 km² per grid cell | 5,071 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1840s | 4,563 km² per grid cell | 4,563 km² per grid cell | 4,563 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1850s | 4,993 km² per grid cell | 4,993 km² per grid cell | 4,993 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1860s | 4,774 km² per grid cell | 4,774 km² per grid cell | 4,774 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1870s | 4,358 km² per grid cell | 4,358 km² per grid cell | 4,358 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1880s | 4,529 km² per grid cell | 4,529 km² per grid cell | 4,529 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1890s | 5,471 km² per grid cell | 5,471 km² per grid cell | 5,471 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1900s | 6,067 km² per grid cell | 6,067 km² per grid cell | 6,067 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1910s | 5,316 km² per grid cell | 5,316 km² per grid cell | 5,316 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1920s | 5,758 km² per grid cell | 5,758 km² per grid cell | 5,758 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1930s | 6,545 km² per grid cell | 6,545 km² per grid cell | 6,545 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1940s | 7,617 km² per grid cell | 7,617 km² per grid cell | 7,617 km² per grid cell | 1 |
| 1950s | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 1960s | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 1970s | 8,223 km² per grid cell | 7,972 km² per grid cell | 9,044 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,001 km² per grid cell | 9,391 km² per grid cell | 12,754 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 1990s | 15,372 km² per grid cell | 13,199 km² per grid cell | 17,706 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 2000s | 21,176 km² per grid cell | 18,270 km² per grid cell | 24,274 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 2010s | 29,893 km² per grid cell | 25,020 km² per grid cell | 35,133 km² per grid cell | 10 |
| 2020s | 39,471 km² per grid cell | 36,371 km² per grid cell | 42,636 km² per grid cell | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.8635 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.6189 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3046 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.2053 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 233.06 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban area over the long-term in India?
- Urban area over the long-term in India was 42,636 km² per grid cell in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban area over the long-term recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 42,636 km² per grid cell in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban area over the long-term recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,365 km² per grid cell in 1000.
- How does India rank for urban area over the long-term?
- India ranks 3rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban area over the long-term rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total built-up area of a country over time.