Share of population living in urban areas in Brunei
Brunei: Share of population living in urban areas was 80.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Brunei, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Brunei recorded 80.8% for share of population living in urban areas in 2020.
The figure is up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Brunei peaked at 81.0% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 36.4%, in 1950.
Brunei ranks 78th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in Brunei, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 36.4% | — |
| 1955 | 41.1% | +12.9% |
| 1960 | 46.0% | +11.9% |
| 1965 | 50.4% | +9.6% |
| 1970 | 54.5% | +8.1% |
| 1975 | 57.2% | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 65.1% | +13.7% |
| 1985 | 65.2% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 70.1% | +7.5% |
| 1995 | 71.9% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 74.4% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 75.5% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 79.5% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 81.0% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | -0.3% |
Brunei compared with similar countries
- Brunei's 80.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 76.2%, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Brunei's 80.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 70.5%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 38.8% | 36.4% | 41.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 48.2% | 46.0% | 50.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 55.9% | 54.5% | 57.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 65.1% | 65.1% | 65.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 71.0% | 70.1% | 71.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 74.9% | 74.4% | 75.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 80.3% | 79.5% | 81.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 80.8% | 80.8% | 80.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Brunei
More reference data data for Brunei
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure Management 23.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.071 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0594 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure left on 89.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 177.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5816 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied 63.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Brunei?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Brunei was 80.8% 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 areas recorded in Brunei?
- The highest recorded value was 81.0% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Brunei?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.4% in 1950.
- How does Brunei rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Brunei ranks 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Brunei?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brunei 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 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.