Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Maldives

Urban population share in the Maldives in 2025 — 42.5%. Ranked 168 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 31.1 pp.

2025 42.5% +0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank 168of 217
Period maximum 42.5%2025
Period minimum 11.3%1967

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Maldives, 1960–2025020406019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 11.4%1962: 11.4%1964: 11.5%1966: 11.4%1968: 11.4%1970: 11.9%1972: 13.5%1974: 16.2%1976: 19%1978: 21.1%1980: 22.8%1982: 24.3%1984: 25.3%1986: 25.6%1988: 25.8%1990: 25.9%1992: 25.7%1994: 25.6%1996: 25.7%1998: 26.5%2000: 27.6%2002: 29.9%2004: 32.9%2006: 34.9%2008: 35.9%2010: 36.8%2012: 37.5%2014: 38.2%2016: 39%2018: 39.7%2020: 40.4%2022: 41.1%2024: 42%2025: 42.5%
Change over the period: +31.1 pp Annual average: 0.48 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Maldives 42.5%
World 57.8%
South Asia 35.8%
Southern Asia computed 37.9%
Urban population share — Maldives, by year Maldives All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 42.5 +0.5 pp
2024 42 +0.5 pp
2023 41.5 +0.4 pp
2022 41.1 +0.3 pp
2021 40.7 +0.3 pp
2020 40.4 +0.3 pp
2019 40 +0.4 pp
2018 39.7 +0.4 pp
2017 39.3 +0.4 pp
2016 39 +0.4 pp
2015 38.6 +0.4 pp
2014 38.2 +0.4 pp
2013 37.8 +0.3 pp
2012 37.5 +0.3 pp
2011 37.1 +0.4 pp
2010 36.8 +0.4 pp
2009 36.4 +0.4 pp
2008 35.9 +0.5 pp
2007 35.4 +0.6 pp
2006 34.9 +0.8 pp
2005 34.1 +1.2 pp
2004 32.9 +1.5 pp
2003 31.4 +1.5 pp
2002 29.9 +1.3 pp
2001 28.5 +0.9 pp
2000 27.6 +0.6 pp
1999 27 +0.5 pp
1998 26.5 +0.4 pp
1997 26 +0.3 pp
1996 25.7 +0.2 pp
1995 25.5 −0 pp
1994 25.6 −0.1 pp
1993 25.6 −0.1 pp
1992 25.7 −0.1 pp
1991 25.8 −0 pp
1990 25.9 +0 pp
1989 25.8 +0 pp
1988 25.8 +0.1 pp
1987 25.7 +0.1 pp
1986 25.6 +0.1 pp
1985 25.5 +0.2 pp
1984 25.3 +0.4 pp
1983 24.9 +0.6 pp
1982 24.3 +0.7 pp
1981 23.6 +0.8 pp
1980 22.8 +0.9 pp
1979 22 +0.9 pp
1978 21.1 +0.9 pp
1977 20.2 +1.1 pp
1976 19 +1.4 pp
1975 17.6 +1.5 pp
1974 16.2 +1.4 pp
1973 14.7 +1.3 pp
1972 13.5 +1 pp
1971 12.5 +0.6 pp
1970 11.9 +0.3 pp
1969 11.6 +0.2 pp
1968 11.4 +0.1 pp
1967 11.3 −0.1 pp
1966 11.4 −0.1 pp
1965 11.5 +0 pp
1964 11.5 +0 pp
1963 11.4 +0 pp
1962 11.4 +0 pp
1961 11.4 +0 pp
1960 11.4

Southern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

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.