Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — BRICS

Urban population share in BRICS in 2025 — 55.5%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 31.9 pp.

2025 55.5% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 55.5%2025
Period minimum 22.8%1963

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — BRICS, 1960–2025203040506019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 23.6%1962: 22.9%1964: 23.6%1966: 23.7%1968: 23.9%1970: 24.2%1972: 24.4%1974: 25%1976: 25.8%1978: 26.6%1980: 27.9%1982: 28.9%1984: 30.4%1986: 31.5%1988: 32.4%1990: 33%1992: 33.8%1994: 34.6%1996: 35.8%1998: 37.4%2000: 39.1%2002: 40.6%2004: 42.1%2006: 43.5%2008: 45%2010: 46.3%2012: 48.2%2014: 49.6%2016: 51.2%2018: 52.6%2020: 53.7%2022: 54.6%2024: 55.2%2025: 55.5%
Change over the period: +31.9 pp Annual average: 0.49 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: BRICS

BRICS 55.5%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — BRICS, by year BRICS All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 55.5 +0.3 pp
2024 55.2 +0.3 pp
2023 54.9 +0.3 pp
2022 54.6 +0.3 pp
2021 54.3 +0.6 pp
2020 53.7 +0.5 pp
2019 53.2 +0.6 pp
2018 52.6 +0.7 pp
2017 51.9 +0.7 pp
2016 51.2 +0.8 pp
2015 50.4 +0.8 pp
2014 49.6 +0.7 pp
2013 48.9 +0.7 pp
2012 48.2 +0.7 pp
2011 47.5 +1.2 pp
2010 46.3 +0.6 pp
2009 45.7 +0.7 pp
2008 45 +0.7 pp
2007 44.3 +0.8 pp
2006 43.5 +0.7 pp
2005 42.7 +0.7 pp
2004 42.1 +0.7 pp
2003 41.4 +0.8 pp
2002 40.6 +0.8 pp
2001 39.8 +0.7 pp
2000 39.1 +0.9 pp
1999 38.2 +0.8 pp
1998 37.4 +0.8 pp
1997 36.6 +0.8 pp
1996 35.8 +0.8 pp
1995 35 +0.4 pp
1994 34.6 +0.4 pp
1993 34.2 +0.4 pp
1992 33.8 +0.4 pp
1991 33.5 +0.5 pp
1990 33 +0.2 pp
1989 32.8 +0.4 pp
1988 32.4 +0.4 pp
1987 32 +0.5 pp
1986 31.5 +0.6 pp
1985 30.9 +0.5 pp
1984 30.4 +0.8 pp
1983 29.6 +0.7 pp
1982 28.9 +0.4 pp
1981 28.5 +0.6 pp
1980 27.9 +0.5 pp
1979 27.4 +0.8 pp
1978 26.6 +0.5 pp
1977 26.1 +0.4 pp
1976 25.8 +0.4 pp
1975 25.4 +0.4 pp
1974 25 +0.3 pp
1973 24.7 +0.3 pp
1972 24.4 +0.2 pp
1971 24.3 +0.1 pp
1970 24.2 +0.1 pp
1969 24 +0.1 pp
1968 23.9 +0.1 pp
1967 23.8 +0.1 pp
1966 23.7 +0.1 pp
1965 23.6 +0 pp
1964 23.6 +0.8 pp
1963 22.8 −0.1 pp
1962 22.9 −0.7 pp
1961 23.6 +0 pp
1960 23.6

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.