Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 22.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
22.3%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
227th
of 238 countries
All-time high
24.9%
in 2016
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu is 22.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu peaked at 24.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Vanuatu ranks 227th of 238 countries on this measure, 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 Vanuatu, 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 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | +116.4% |
| 1720 | 0.3% | +16.7% |
| 1730 | 0.3% | +16.7% |
| 1740 | 0.3% | +16.7% |
| 1750 | 0.4% | +16.7% |
| 1760 | 0.5% | +16.7% |
| 1770 | 0.5% | +16.7% |
| 1780 | 0.6% | +16.7% |
| 1790 | 0.7% | +16.7% |
| 1800 | 0.9% | +16.7% |
| 1810 | 1.0% | +16.7% |
| 1820 | 1.2% | +16.7% |
| 1830 | 1.4% | +16.7% |
| 1840 | 1.6% | +16.7% |
| 1850 | 1.9% | +16.7% |
| 1860 | 2.2% | +16.7% |
| 1870 | 2.5% | +16.7% |
| 1880 | 3.0% | +16.7% |
| 1890 | 3.5% | +16.7% |
| 1900 | 4.0% | +16.7% |
| 1910 | 4.7% | +16.7% |
| 1920 | 5.5% | +16.7% |
| 1930 | 6.4% | +16.7% |
| 1940 | 7.5% | +16.7% |
| 1950 | 5.6% | -25.0% |
| 1951 | 5.8% | +3.5% |
| 1952 | 6.0% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 6.2% | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 6.5% | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 6.7% | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 6.9% | +3.6% |
| 1957 | 7.2% | +3.6% |
| 1958 | 7.4% | +3.5% |
| 1959 | 7.7% | +3.5% |
| 1960 | 8.0% | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 8.2% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 8.5% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 8.8% | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 9.1% | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 9.4% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 9.7% | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 10.0% | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 10.3% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 10.7% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 11.0% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 11.4% | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 11.7% | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 12.1% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 12.5% | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 12.8% | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 13.2% | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 14.0% | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 14.4% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 15.2% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 15.6% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 16.0% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 16.9% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 17.3% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 17.7% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 18.4% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 18.8% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 19.1% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 19.4% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 20.5% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 20.8% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 21.1% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 21.7% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 21.9% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 22.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 23.6% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 23.9% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 24.3% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 22.3% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 22.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 22.3% | +0.2% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 22.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 22.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 34% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu 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% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1840s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1850s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1880s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1900s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1920s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1930s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1940s | 7.5% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 1 |
| 1950s | 6.6% | 5.6% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.3% | 8.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 11.0% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 14.8% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.1% | 18.8% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.7% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.6% | 23.5% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 224 Antigua and Barbuda 24.3% compare
- 225 Ethiopia 24.1% compare
- 226 Micronesia (country) 22.5% compare
- 228 South Sudan 21.7% compare
- 229 Tonga 21.2% compare
- 230 Sri Lanka 20.5% compare
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0174 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0583 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0658 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4612 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5857 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vanuatu was 22.3% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2016.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Vanuatu rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Vanuatu ranks 227th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.