Share of population living in urban areas in Mozambique
Mozambique: Share of population living in urban areas was 50.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Mozambique, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Mozambique recorded 50.0% for share of population living in urban areas in 2020.
The figure is down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Mozambique peaked at 50.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 36.0%, in 1950.
Mozambique ranks 207th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36.0% | 36.0% | 36.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 36.7% | 36.2% | 37.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 39.5% | 38.4% | 40.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 44.2% | 43.4% | 45.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.7% | 46.4% | 49.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 49.7% | 49.6% | 49.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 50.5% | 50.2% | 50.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
- 204 Chad 51.5% compare
- 205 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51.2% compare
- 206 Slovenia 50.3% compare
- 208 Niger 49.4% compare
- 209 Burkina Faso 49.4% compare
- 210 East Timor 49.4% compare
More reference data data for Mozambique
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0001 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7491 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.0188 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.11 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.637 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 257.68 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Mozambique?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Mozambique was 50.0% 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 areas recorded in Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 50.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.0% in 1950.
- How does Mozambique rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Mozambique ranks 207th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mozambique 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.
Download this data
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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.