Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — European Union

Urban population share in the European Union in 2025 — 75.2%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 16.7 pp.

2025 75.2% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 75.2%2025
Period minimum 58.4%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — European Union, 1960–202555606570758019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 58.4%1962: 59.6%1964: 61%1966: 62.4%1968: 63.6%1970: 64.6%1972: 65.5%1974: 66.3%1976: 66.9%1978: 67.5%1980: 68.1%1982: 68.6%1984: 69%1986: 69.4%1988: 69.8%1990: 70.1%1992: 70.3%1994: 70.6%1996: 70.9%1998: 71.2%2000: 71.5%2002: 71.9%2004: 72.2%2006: 72.6%2008: 72.8%2010: 73.1%2012: 73.4%2014: 73.7%2016: 74.1%2018: 74.3%2020: 74.5%2022: 74.8%2024: 75%2025: 75.2%
Change over the period: +16.7 pp Annual average: 0.26 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

European Union 75.2%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 75.2 +0.1 pp
2024 75 +0.1 pp
2023 74.9 +0.1 pp
2022 74.8 +0.1 pp
2021 74.6 +0.1 pp
2020 74.5 +0.1 pp
2019 74.5 +0.1 pp
2018 74.3 +0.1 pp
2017 74.2 +0.1 pp
2016 74.1 +0.2 pp
2015 73.9 +0.2 pp
2014 73.7 +0.2 pp
2013 73.5 +0.2 pp
2012 73.4 +0.1 pp
2011 73.2 +0.1 pp
2010 73.1 +0.2 pp
2009 72.9 +0.1 pp
2008 72.8 +0.1 pp
2007 72.7 +0.1 pp
2006 72.6 +0.2 pp
2005 72.4 +0.2 pp
2004 72.2 +0.1 pp
2003 72.1 +0.1 pp
2002 71.9 +0.2 pp
2001 71.8 +0.2 pp
2000 71.5 +0.2 pp
1999 71.3 +0.1 pp
1998 71.2 +0.1 pp
1997 71.1 +0.2 pp
1996 70.9 +0.2 pp
1995 70.7 +0.1 pp
1994 70.6 +0.1 pp
1993 70.4 +0.1 pp
1992 70.3 +0.1 pp
1991 70.2 +0.1 pp
1990 70.1 +0.1 pp
1989 69.9 +0.2 pp
1988 69.8 +0.2 pp
1987 69.6 +0.2 pp
1986 69.4 +0.2 pp
1985 69.2 +0.2 pp
1984 69 +0.2 pp
1983 68.8 +0.2 pp
1982 68.6 +0.2 pp
1981 68.4 +0.3 pp
1980 68.1 +0.4 pp
1979 67.7 +0.3 pp
1978 67.5 +0.2 pp
1977 67.2 +0.3 pp
1976 66.9 +0.3 pp
1975 66.6 +0.3 pp
1974 66.3 +0.4 pp
1973 65.9 +0.4 pp
1972 65.5 +0.4 pp
1971 65.1 +0.5 pp
1970 64.6 +0.5 pp
1969 64.1 +0.5 pp
1968 63.6 +0.6 pp
1967 63 +0.6 pp
1966 62.4 +0.7 pp
1965 61.7 +0.7 pp
1964 61 +0.7 pp
1963 60.2 +0.6 pp
1962 59.6 +0.6 pp
1961 59 +0.6 pp
1960 58.4

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.