Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt
Egypt: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 42.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
42.9%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
182nd
of 238 countries
All-time high
44.0%
in 1986
All-time low
2.4%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt is 42.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt peaked at 44.0% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1000.
Egypt ranks 182nd of 238 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 2.4% | — |
| 1100 | 2.5% | +5.8% |
| 1200 | 2.6% | +5.5% |
| 1300 | 2.8% | +5.2% |
| 1400 | 2.9% | +4.9% |
| 1500 | 3.0% | +4.7% |
| 1600 | 3.2% | +4.5% |
| 1700 | 3.3% | +4.3% |
| 1710 | 3.7% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 4.1% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 4.5% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 4.9% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 5.4% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 5.9% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 6.4% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 7.1% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 7.7% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 8.5% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 9.3% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 10.2% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 11.1% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 12.2% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 13.4% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 14.6% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 16.0% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 17.5% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 19.2% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 21.0% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 23.0% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 25.2% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 27.6% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 30.3% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 31.4% | +3.8% |
| 1951 | 32.0% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 32.6% | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 33.2% | +1.9% |
| 1954 | 33.9% | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 34.6% | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 35.2% | +2.0% |
| 1957 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 36.6% | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 37.2% | +1.7% |
| 1960 | 37.8% | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 38.4% | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 39.0% | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 39.7% | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 40.3% | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 40.8% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 41.2% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 41.6% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 41.9% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 42.3% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 42.6% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 42.9% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 43.1% | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 43.4% | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 43.5% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 43.7% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 43.8% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 43.8% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 43.8% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 43.9% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 43.9% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 43.9% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 43.9% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 43.9% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 44.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 44.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 44.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 44.0% | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 43.9% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 43.7% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 43.4% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 43.2% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 43.0% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 42.8% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 42.7% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 42.6% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 42.6% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 42.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 42.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 42.7% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 42.8% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 42.8% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 42.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 42.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 43.0% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 43.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 43.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 43.0% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 42.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 42.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 42.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 42.7% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 42.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 42.5% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 42.4% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 42.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 42.6% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 42.8% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 42.9% | +0.2% |
Egypt compared with similar countries
- Egypt's 42.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 84% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Egypt's 42.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 54% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1100s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1200s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1300s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 1400s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1500s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1700s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1720s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1730s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1740s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1750s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1760s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1770s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1780s | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 1 |
| 1790s | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 1 |
| 1820s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
| 1830s | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 12.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 1 |
| 1850s | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 1 |
| 1870s | 16.0% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 1 |
| 1880s | 17.5% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 1 |
| 1890s | 19.2% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 1 |
| 1900s | 21.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 23.0% | 23.0% | 23.0% | 1 |
| 1920s | 25.2% | 25.2% | 25.2% | 1 |
| 1930s | 27.6% | 27.6% | 27.6% | 1 |
| 1940s | 30.3% | 30.3% | 30.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 34.3% | 31.4% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 40.3% | 37.8% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 43.4% | 42.6% | 43.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.9% | 43.7% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.9% | 42.6% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.9% | 42.7% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.7% | 42.4% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 42.5% | 42.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Egypt
More reference data data for Egypt
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2851 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 16.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.956 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.4622 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 25.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 71.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 6.55 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Egypt was 42.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Egypt?
- The highest recorded value was 44.0% in 1986.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Egypt?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1000.
- How does Egypt rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Egypt ranks 182nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Egypt?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Egypt data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.