Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 24.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
24.1%
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
225th
of 238 countries
All-time high
24.1%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia is 24.1%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 23.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia peaked at 24.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Ethiopia 225th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.5% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.5% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 3.3% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 3.6% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 3.9% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 5.9% | +39.1% |
| 1951 | 6.0% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 6.1% | +1.7% |
| 1953 | 6.3% | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 6.4% | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 6.5% | +1.8% |
| 1956 | 6.6% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 6.7% | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 6.8% | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 7.0% | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 7.1% | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 7.2% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 7.4% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 7.5% | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 7.7% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 7.8% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 8.0% | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 8.1% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 8.3% | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 8.4% | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 8.6% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 8.7% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 8.9% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 9.1% | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 9.2% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 9.4% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 9.6% | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 9.8% | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 10.0% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 10.6% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 10.8% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 11.0% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 12.2% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 12.5% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 12.8% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 13.0% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 13.3% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 13.5% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 13.7% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 14.1% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 14.3% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 15.1% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 15.3% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 15.5% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 16.2% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 16.8% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 19.0% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 23.1% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | +2.4% |
| 2025 | 24.1% | +2.1% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 24.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 70% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 24.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 54% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1890s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1900s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1920s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.4% | 5.9% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 7.7% | 7.1% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.3% | 8.6% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 10.4% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.8% | 12.8% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 14.9% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.3% | 17.5% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.9% | 21.6% | 24.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 222 Afghanistan 25.9% compare
- 223 Burundi 25.7% compare
- 224 Antigua and Barbuda 24.3% compare
- 226 Micronesia (country) 22.5% compare
- 227 Vanuatu 22.3% compare
- 228 South Sudan 21.7% compare
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Ethiopia was 24.1% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Ethiopia rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Ethiopia ranks 225th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.