Share of population living in urban areas by country
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.
Countries reporting
229
Highest
100.0%
Gibraltar
Lowest
0.0%
Wallis and Futuna
Median
73.8%
Years covered
71
1950–2020
Data points
3,540
What the numbers show
Share of population living in urban areas is currently reported for 229 countries. The highest value is 100.0% in Gibraltar; the lowest is 0.0% in Wallis and Futuna.
The median across all reporting countries is 73.8%, and the mean is 69.7%.
Over the past decade 161 countries rose and 57 fell. The largest increase was in Turks and Caicos Islands (up 282.8%), and the largest decrease in Cook Islands (down 100.0%).
Share of population living in urban areas: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gibraltar | 100.0% | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Monaco | 100.0% | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Vatican | 100.0% | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 4 | Singapore | 99.9% | 2020 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 5 | Macao | 99.8% | 2020 | down 0.1% | flat |
| 6 | Hong Kong | 99.5% | 2020 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 7 | Bermuda | 98.4% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 98.0% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 9 | Bahrain | 97.9% | 2020 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 10 | Egypt | 96.9% | 2020 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 11 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 96.8% | 2020 | up 2.1% | volatile |
| 12 | Kuwait | 96.2% | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 13 | Aruba | 95.3% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 15 | Curacao | 94.6% | 2020 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 16 | Taiwan | 94.6% | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 17 | Palestine | 94.1% | 2020 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 18 | Israel | 93.6% | 2020 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 19 | Jordan | 93.5% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 20 | Qatar | 93.3% | 2020 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 21 | Nauru | 92.4% | 2020 | up 4.6% | volatile |
| 22 | Cayman Islands | 92.3% | 2020 | up 4.3% | volatile |
| 23 | Rwanda | 92.1% | 2020 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 24 | Congo | 91.7% | 2020 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 25 | Japan | 91.1% | 2020 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 27 | Guernsey | 90.9% | 2020 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 28 | Mauritius | 90.9% | 2020 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 29 | Jersey | 90.8% | 2020 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 30 | United Arab Emirates | 90.3% | 2020 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 31 | Western Sahara | 90.1% | 2020 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 32 | South Korea | 90.1% | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 33 | Djibouti | 89.9% | 2020 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 34 | Saint Martin (French part) | 89.7% | 2020 | down 5.0% | volatile |
| 35 | Lebanon | 89.6% | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 36 | Equatorial Guinea | 89.5% | 2020 | up 27.1% | rising |
| 37 | Venezuela | 88.5% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 38 | Reunion | 88.3% | 2020 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 39 | Pakistan | 88.0% | 2020 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 40 | Iraq | 87.5% | 2020 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 41 | Trinidad and Tobago | 87.4% | 2020 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 42 | Saint Barthelemy | 87.2% | 2020 | up 4.3% | volatile |
| 43 | Vietnam | 86.9% | 2020 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 44 | North Korea | 86.6% | 2020 | down 0.6% | flat |
| 45 | Barbados | 86.4% | 2020 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 46 | Comoros | 86.3% | 2020 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 47 | Uruguay | 86.2% | 2020 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 48 | Argentina | 86.0% | 2020 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 49 | United Kingdom | 86.0% | 2020 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 50 | Indonesia | 85.9% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 51 | Yemen | 85.7% | 2020 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 52 | Dominican Republic | 85.5% | 2020 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 53 | Uzbekistan | 85.4% | 2020 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 54 | Philippines | 84.8% | 2020 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 55 | Iran | 84.7% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 56 | Sri Lanka | 84.7% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 57 | Burundi | 84.6% | 2020 | up 16.4% | rising |
| 58 | Guam | 84.5% | 2020 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 59 | Afghanistan | 84.4% | 2020 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 60 | Netherlands | 84.3% | 2020 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 61 | Saudi Arabia | 83.6% | 2020 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 62 | China | 83.6% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 63 | Sao Tome and Principe | 83.4% | 2020 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 64 | India | 83.4% | 2020 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 65 | Gabon | 83.1% | 2020 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 66 | Tajikistan | 82.8% | 2020 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 67 | Somalia | 82.7% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 68 | Haiti | 82.6% | 2020 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 69 | Bahamas | 82.3% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 70 | Turkey | 82.3% | 2020 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 71 | Malaysia | 82.3% | 2020 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 72 | Australia | 82.2% | 2020 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 73 | Cuba | 82.1% | 2020 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 74 | Montenegro | 81.8% | 2020 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 75 | Chile | 81.8% | 2020 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 76 | Colombia | 81.5% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 77 | Puerto Rico | 80.9% | 2020 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 78 | Brunei | 80.8% | 2020 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 79 | Nigeria | 80.6% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 80 | San Marino | 80.5% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 81 | Algeria | 79.8% | 2020 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 82 | Brazil | 79.2% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 83 | Syria | 79.0% | 2020 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 84 | Azerbaijan | 78.9% | 2020 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 85 | Russia | 78.8% | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 86 | Seychelles | 78.7% | 2020 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 87 | American Samoa | 78.7% | 2020 | down 2.8% | rising |
| 88 | Spain | 78.6% | 2020 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 89 | South Africa | 78.6% | 2020 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 90 | Belgium | 78.4% | 2020 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 91 | Morocco | 78.1% | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 92 | Ecuador | 77.5% | 2020 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 93 | Mexico | 77.3% | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 94 | Oman | 77.1% | 2020 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 95 | Armenia | 77.0% | 2020 | up 0.4% | rising |
| 96 | Ghana | 76.8% | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 97 | Italy | 76.8% | 2020 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 98 | Kazakhstan | 76.7% | 2020 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 99 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 76.6% | 2020 | up 282.8% | volatile |
| 100 | Turkmenistan | 76.5% | 2020 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 101 | New Zealand | 76.3% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 102 | Canada | 76.2% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 103 | El Salvador | 76.1% | 2020 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 104 | Switzerland | 76.0% | 2020 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 105 | Iceland | 75.9% | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 106 | Cyprus | 75.7% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 108 | Kyrgyzstan | 75.5% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 109 | Antigua and Barbuda | 75.5% | 2020 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 110 | Libya | 75.4% | 2020 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 111 | Kenya | 75.3% | 2020 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 112 | Angola | 75.2% | 2020 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 114 | Gambia | 74.9% | 2020 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 115 | Sudan | 74.8% | 2020 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 116 | Cameroon | 74.2% | 2020 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 117 | Ukraine | 74.0% | 2020 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 118 | United States | 74.0% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 119 | Belarus | 73.8% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 120 | Costa Rica | 73.7% | 2020 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 121 | Guyana | 73.6% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 122 | United States Virgin Islands | 73.6% | 2020 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 123 | Andorra | 73.4% | 2020 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 124 | Germany | 73.0% | 2020 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 125 | Peru | 73.0% | 2020 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 126 | Guatemala | 72.9% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 127 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 72.9% | 2020 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 128 | Saint Lucia | 72.7% | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 129 | Nepal | 72.6% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 130 | Benin | 72.6% | 2020 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 131 | Grenada | 72.5% | 2020 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 132 | Tuvalu | 72.4% | 2020 | up 34.7% | volatile |
| 133 | Jamaica | 72.4% | 2020 | down 3.5% | rising |
| 134 | Cape Verde | 71.6% | 2020 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 136 | Togo | 71.3% | 2020 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 137 | Tunisia | 71.3% | 2020 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 138 | Bolivia | 71.2% | 2020 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 139 | Suriname | 70.8% | 2020 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 140 | North Macedonia | 70.5% | 2020 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 141 | Portugal | 70.5% | 2020 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 142 | Mongolia | 70.5% | 2020 | up 8.9% | rising |
| 143 | French Guiana | 70.1% | 2020 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 144 | Senegal | 69.9% | 2020 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 145 | Uganda | 69.6% | 2020 | up 25.2% | rising |
| 146 | Myanmar | 69.4% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 147 | Botswana | 69.2% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 148 | Sweden | 68.8% | 2020 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 149 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 68.8% | 2020 | down 8.3% | flat |
| 151 | Panama | 68.3% | 2020 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 152 | Cambodia | 68.1% | 2020 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 153 | Albania | 67.9% | 2020 | up 9.7% | rising |
| 154 | Northern Mariana Islands | 67.7% | 2020 | down 1.3% | volatile |
| 155 | Isle of Man | 67.5% | 2020 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 156 | Cote d'Ivoire | 67.3% | 2020 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 157 | Greece | 67.2% | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 158 | Kiribati | 66.5% | 2020 | up 29.3% | rising |
| 159 | New Caledonia | 65.6% | 2020 | up 13.0% | rising |
| 160 | South Sudan | 65.2% | 2020 | up 23.2% | rising |
| 161 | Estonia | 65.0% | 2020 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 162 | Serbia | 64.8% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 163 | Denmark | 64.8% | 2020 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 164 | Norway | 64.5% | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 165 | Nicaragua | 64.4% | 2020 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 166 | Malawi | 64.4% | 2020 | up 22.5% | volatile |
| 167 | Ethiopia | 64.4% | 2020 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 168 | Georgia | 64.3% | 2020 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 169 | Eritrea | 63.6% | 2020 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 170 | British Virgin Islands | 62.9% | 2020 | up 0.5% | volatile |
| 171 | Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba | 62.6% | 2020 | down 0.1% | volatile |
| 172 | Hungary | 62.6% | 2020 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 173 | France | 62.1% | 2020 | down 0.1% | flat |
| 174 | French Polynesia | 61.6% | 2020 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 175 | Finland | 60.9% | 2020 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 176 | Thailand | 60.6% | 2020 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 177 | Tonga | 60.6% | 2020 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 178 | Bulgaria | 60.1% | 2020 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 179 | Czechia | 60.1% | 2020 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 180 | Poland | 60.0% | 2020 | up 0.5% | rising |
| 181 | Marshall Islands | 59.4% | 2020 | up 5.4% | volatile |
| 182 | Paraguay | 59.4% | 2020 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 183 | Mauritania | 59.1% | 2020 | up 6.8% | rising |
| 184 | Honduras | 59.1% | 2020 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 185 | Liberia | 59.0% | 2020 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 186 | Austria | 58.7% | 2020 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 187 | Lithuania | 57.9% | 2020 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 188 | Samoa | 57.8% | 2020 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 189 | Sierra Leone | 57.7% | 2020 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 190 | Latvia | 57.1% | 2020 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 191 | Maldives | 56.5% | 2020 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 192 | Belize | 56.1% | 2020 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 193 | Central African Republic | 56.1% | 2020 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 194 | Fiji | 55.6% | 2020 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 195 | Guinea-Bissau | 54.9% | 2020 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 197 | Romania | 54.7% | 2020 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 198 | Croatia | 54.4% | 2020 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 199 | Guinea | 53.6% | 2020 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 200 | Slovakia | 53.5% | 2020 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 201 | Tanzania | 53.5% | 2020 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 202 | Moldova | 53.4% | 2020 | down 7.4% | rising |
| 203 | Zambia | 53.2% | 2020 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 204 | Chad | 51.5% | 2020 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 205 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 51.2% | 2020 | down 1.5% | rising |
| 206 | Slovenia | 50.3% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 207 | Mozambique | 50.0% | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 208 | Niger | 49.4% | 2020 | down 4.0% | rising |
| 209 | Burkina Faso | 49.4% | 2020 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 210 | East Timor | 49.4% | 2020 | up 26.6% | rising |
| 211 | Mali | 47.1% | 2020 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 212 | Papua New Guinea | 46.3% | 2020 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 213 | Dominica | 42.9% | 2020 | up 25.8% | falling |
| 214 | Madagascar | 42.9% | 2020 | up 19.1% | rising |
| 215 | Greenland | 42.5% | 2020 | up 14.2% | volatile |
| 216 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 42.2% | 2020 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 217 | Namibia | 41.8% | 2020 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 218 | Palau | 39.3% | 2020 | down 33.2% | rising |
| 219 | Faroe Islands | 37.8% | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 220 | Lesotho | 37.7% | 2020 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 221 | Zimbabwe | 33.6% | 2020 | down 9.0% | rising |
| 222 | Laos | 30.6% | 2020 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 223 | Bhutan | 30.5% | 2020 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 224 | Vanuatu | 30.0% | 2020 | up 9.2% | volatile |
| 225 | Micronesia (country) | 29.4% | 2020 | down 15.0% | rising |
| 226 | Eswatini | 23.5% | 2020 | down 17.9% | rising |
| 227 | Solomon Islands | 21.9% | 2020 | up 29.1% | rising |
| 228 | Anguilla | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
| 228 | Cook Islands | 0.0% | 2020 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 228 | Montserrat | 0.0% | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 228 | Niue | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
| 228 | Falkland Islands | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
| 228 | Saint Helena | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
| 228 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 0.0% | 2020 | — | volatile |
| 228 | Tokelau | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
| 228 | Wallis and Futuna | 0.0% | 2020 | — | flat |
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.