Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Pakistan
Pakistan: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 39.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
39.5%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
189th
of 238 countries
All-time high
39.5%
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 Pakistan, 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 Pakistan is 39.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Pakistan peaked at 39.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Pakistan 189th 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.6% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.9% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 2.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 2.8% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 3.1% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 3.7% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 4.1% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 4.5% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 4.9% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 5.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 5.9% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 6.5% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 7.1% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 7.7% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 8.5% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 9.3% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 10.2% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 11.1% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 12.2% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 13.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 14.6% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 16.0% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 17.5% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 17.4% | -0.6% |
| 1951 | 18.0% | +3.1% |
| 1952 | 18.6% | +3.2% |
| 1953 | 19.1% | +3.0% |
| 1954 | 19.6% | +2.8% |
| 1955 | 20.1% | +2.6% |
| 1956 | 20.6% | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 21.1% | +2.2% |
| 1958 | 21.5% | +2.1% |
| 1959 | 21.9% | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 22.3% | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 22.6% | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 22.9% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 23.2% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 23.5% | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 23.7% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 23.9% | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 24.1% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 24.4% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 24.6% | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 24.8% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 25.1% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 25.3% | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 25.6% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 26.0% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 26.3% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 26.7% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 27.1% | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 27.4% | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 27.8% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 28.1% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 28.4% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 28.7% | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 29.0% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 29.2% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 29.5% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 29.8% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 30.0% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 30.3% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 30.5% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 30.8% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 31.0% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 31.2% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 31.5% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 31.9% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 32.1% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 32.4% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 32.6% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 32.8% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 33.0% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 33.2% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 33.4% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 33.6% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 33.7% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 33.9% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 34.3% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 34.4% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 34.6% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 34.8% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 35.0% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 35.2% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 35.4% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 35.7% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 35.9% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 36.2% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 36.4% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 37.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 37.9% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 38.4% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 38.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 39.2% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 39.5% | +0.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 39.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 78% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 39.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 50% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Pakistan 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% | 0.1% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
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 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1710s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1760s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1770s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1780s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1790s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1800s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1810s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1830s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 1 |
| 1860s | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 1 |
| 1870s | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
| 1890s | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 1 |
| 1900s | 12.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 14.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 16.0% | 16.0% | 16.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 17.5% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 1 |
| 1950s | 19.8% | 17.4% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 23.5% | 22.3% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.2% | 24.8% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.3% | 28.1% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.8% | 30.8% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.8% | 33.0% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.8% | 34.8% | 37.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.6% | 37.5% | 39.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Pakistan?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Pakistan was 39.5% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 39.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Pakistan rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Pakistan ranks 189th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.