Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — OPEC

Urban population share in OPEC in 2025 — 72%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 44.4 pp.

2025 72% +0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 72%2025
Period minimum 27.6%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — OPEC, 1960–20252040608019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 27.6%1962: 29.4%1964: 31.2%1966: 32.8%1968: 34.6%1970: 36.5%1972: 38.2%1974: 40%1976: 41.6%1978: 43.3%1980: 45%1982: 46.7%1984: 48.4%1986: 49.9%1988: 51.3%1990: 52.4%1992: 53.6%1994: 55%1996: 56.2%1998: 57.6%2000: 58.9%2002: 60.2%2004: 61.4%2006: 62.6%2008: 63.7%2010: 64.7%2012: 65.8%2014: 66.8%2016: 67.9%2018: 68.7%2020: 69.6%2022: 70.5%2024: 71.5%2025: 72%
Change over the period: +44.4 pp Annual average: 0.68 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

OPEC 72%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — OPEC, by year OPEC All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 72 +0.5 pp
2024 71.5 +0.5 pp
2023 71 +0.5 pp
2022 70.5 +0.5 pp
2021 70 +0.4 pp
2020 69.6 +0.5 pp
2019 69.1 +0.4 pp
2018 68.7 +0.4 pp
2017 68.4 +0.5 pp
2016 67.9 +0.5 pp
2015 67.4 +0.6 pp
2014 66.8 +0.5 pp
2013 66.3 +0.6 pp
2012 65.8 +0.5 pp
2011 65.2 +0.5 pp
2010 64.7 +0.5 pp
2009 64.2 +0.6 pp
2008 63.7 +0.6 pp
2007 63.1 +0.6 pp
2006 62.6 +0.6 pp
2005 62 +0.6 pp
2004 61.4 +0.6 pp
2003 60.8 +0.6 pp
2002 60.2 +0.6 pp
2001 59.5 +0.6 pp
2000 58.9 +0.7 pp
1999 58.2 +0.7 pp
1998 57.6 +0.7 pp
1997 56.9 +0.7 pp
1996 56.2 +0.6 pp
1995 55.6 +0.7 pp
1994 55 +0.6 pp
1993 54.3 +0.7 pp
1992 53.6 +0.7 pp
1991 52.9 +0.5 pp
1990 52.4 +0.5 pp
1989 51.9 +0.6 pp
1988 51.3 +0.7 pp
1987 50.6 +0.7 pp
1986 49.9 +0.7 pp
1985 49.1 +0.8 pp
1984 48.4 +0.8 pp
1983 47.5 +0.8 pp
1982 46.7 +0.9 pp
1981 45.8 +0.9 pp
1980 45 +0.8 pp
1979 44.1 +0.8 pp
1978 43.3 +0.8 pp
1977 42.5 +0.9 pp
1976 41.6 +0.8 pp
1975 40.8 +0.8 pp
1974 40 +0.9 pp
1973 39.1 +0.9 pp
1972 38.2 +0.9 pp
1971 37.4 +0.9 pp
1970 36.5 +0.9 pp
1969 35.5 +0.9 pp
1968 34.6 +0.9 pp
1967 33.7 +0.9 pp
1966 32.8 +0.8 pp
1965 32 +0.8 pp
1964 31.2 +0.9 pp
1963 30.3 +0.9 pp
1962 29.4 +0.9 pp
1961 28.4 +0.9 pp
1960 27.6

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.