Share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Share of population living in urban areas was 30.0% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu stood at 30.0%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu peaked at 30.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1950.
Vanuatu ranks 224th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.3% | 7.7% | 9.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 12.5% | 11.6% | 13.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 20.9% | 20.0% | 21.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 24.5% | 23.3% | 25.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 27.4% | 28.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 30.0% | 30.0% | 30.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.3923 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.1753 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3744 °C (2026)
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- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.7024 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.4368 °C (2025)
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- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Vanuatu was 30.0% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 30.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1950.
- How does Vanuatu rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Vanuatu ranks 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.