Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Svalbard and Jan Mayen: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 79.3% in 1940. ◆ Volatile

Latest (1940)
79.3%
World rank
74th
of 238 countries
All-time high
79.3%
in 1940
All-time low
0.0%
in 1200
Years of data
30
1200–1940

Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen, 1200–1940

0204060801200157019401200: 0.002 %1300: 0.005 %1400: 0.014 %1500: 0.042 %1600: 0.125 %1700: 0.375 %1710: 0.468 %1720: 0.585 %1730: 0.732 %1740: 0.915 %1750: 1.1 %1760: 1.4 %1770: 1.8 %1780: 2.2 %1790: 2.8 %1800: 3.5 %1810: 4.4 %1820: 5.5 %1830: 6.8 %1840: 8.5 %1850: 10.6 %1860: 13.3 %1870: 16.6 %1880: 20.8 %1890: 26 %1900: 32.5 %1910: 40.6 %1920: 50.8 %1930: 63.5 %1940: 79.3 %

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

In 1940, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen stood at 79.3%. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

That represents a change of up 25.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen peaked at 79.3% in 1940 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1200.

That places Svalbard and Jan Mayen 74th out of 238 countries with data for 1940, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
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 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
1600s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 1
1700s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 1
1710s 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 1
1720s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 1
1730s 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 1
1740s 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 1
1750s 1.1% 1.1% 1.1% 1
1760s 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1
1770s 1.8% 1.8% 1.8% 1
1780s 2.2% 2.2% 2.2% 1
1790s 2.8% 2.8% 2.8% 1
1800s 3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 1
1810s 4.4% 4.4% 4.4% 1
1820s 5.5% 5.5% 5.5% 1
1830s 6.8% 6.8% 6.8% 1
1840s 8.5% 8.5% 8.5% 1
1850s 10.6% 10.6% 10.6% 1
1860s 13.3% 13.3% 13.3% 1
1870s 16.6% 16.6% 16.6% 1
1880s 20.8% 20.8% 20.8% 1
1890s 26.0% 26.0% 26.0% 1
1900s 32.5% 32.5% 32.5% 1
1910s 40.6% 40.6% 40.6% 1
1920s 50.8% 50.8% 50.8% 1
1930s 63.5% 63.5% 63.5% 1
1940s 79.3% 79.3% 79.3% 1

Countries ranked near Svalbard and Jan Mayen

  1. 71 Costa Rica 79.7% compare
  2. 72 Belarus 79.5% compare
  3. 73 Oman 79.5% compare
  4. 75 Palau 79.3% compare
  5. 76 Greece 79.2% compare
  6. 77 Marshall Islands 79.1% compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More reference data data for Svalbard and Jan Mayen

All data for Svalbard and Jan Mayen →

Frequently asked questions

What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Svalbard and Jan Mayen was 79.3% in 1940, 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 Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The highest recorded value was 79.3% in 1940.
What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1200.
How does Svalbard and Jan Mayen rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
Svalbard and Jan Mayen ranks 74th out of 238 countries with data for 1940.
Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Svalbard and Jan Mayen 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 — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Do more people live in urban or rural areas?
Unit
%
Source
HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
239 places, 24,444 data points, 1000–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.