Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — OECD

Urban population share in the OECD in 2025 — 81.3%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 19.7 pp.

2025 81.3% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 81.3%2025
Period minimum 61.6%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — OECD, 1960–202560657075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 61.6%1962: 62.6%1964: 63.8%1966: 64.9%1968: 66%1970: 66.9%1972: 67.7%1974: 68.5%1976: 69.1%1978: 69.6%1980: 70.1%1982: 70.6%1984: 71.2%1986: 71.7%1988: 72.2%1990: 72.8%1992: 73.3%1994: 73.9%1996: 74.5%1998: 75.1%2000: 75.6%2002: 76.3%2004: 77.1%2006: 77.8%2008: 78.3%2010: 78.8%2012: 79.2%2014: 79.9%2016: 80.4%2018: 80.5%2020: 80.7%2022: 80.9%2024: 81.2%2025: 81.3%
Change over the period: +19.7 pp Annual average: 0.3 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

OECD 81.3%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 81.3 +0.1 pp
2024 81.2 +0.1 pp
2023 81.1 +0.1 pp
2022 80.9 +0.1 pp
2021 80.9 +0.1 pp
2020 80.7 +0.1 pp
2019 80.7 +0.1 pp
2018 80.5 +0.1 pp
2017 80.5 +0.1 pp
2016 80.4 +0.2 pp
2015 80.2 +0.3 pp
2014 79.9 +0.4 pp
2013 79.5 +0.4 pp
2012 79.2 +0.2 pp
2011 78.9 +0.2 pp
2010 78.8 +0.2 pp
2009 78.5 +0.2 pp
2008 78.3 +0.3 pp
2007 78.1 +0.3 pp
2006 77.8 +0.3 pp
2005 77.5 +0.4 pp
2004 77.1 +0.4 pp
2003 76.7 +0.4 pp
2002 76.3 +0.4 pp
2001 75.9 +0.3 pp
2000 75.6 +0.3 pp
1999 75.3 +0.3 pp
1998 75.1 +0.3 pp
1997 74.8 +0.3 pp
1996 74.5 +0.3 pp
1995 74.2 +0.3 pp
1994 73.9 +0.3 pp
1993 73.6 +0.3 pp
1992 73.3 +0.3 pp
1991 73 +0.3 pp
1990 72.8 +0.3 pp
1989 72.5 +0.3 pp
1988 72.2 +0.3 pp
1987 72 +0.3 pp
1986 71.7 +0.3 pp
1985 71.4 +0.3 pp
1984 71.2 +0.3 pp
1983 70.9 +0.3 pp
1982 70.6 +0.2 pp
1981 70.4 +0.3 pp
1980 70.1 +0.3 pp
1979 69.9 +0.2 pp
1978 69.6 +0.2 pp
1977 69.4 +0.3 pp
1976 69.1 +0.3 pp
1975 68.8 +0.3 pp
1974 68.5 +0.4 pp
1973 68.1 +0.4 pp
1972 67.7 +0.4 pp
1971 67.3 +0.4 pp
1970 66.9 +0.5 pp
1969 66.5 +0.5 pp
1968 66 +0.5 pp
1967 65.4 +0.5 pp
1966 64.9 +0.6 pp
1965 64.3 +0.6 pp
1964 63.8 +0.6 pp
1963 63.2 +0.5 pp
1962 62.6 +0.5 pp
1961 62.1 +0.5 pp
1960 61.6

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.