Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Central America

Urban population share in Central America in 2025 — 75%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 28.7 pp.

2025 75% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 75%2025
Period minimum 46.3%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Central America, 1960–2025405060708019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 46.3%1962: 47.7%1964: 49.2%1966: 50.7%1968: 52.3%1970: 53.7%1972: 55.1%1974: 56.4%1976: 57.6%1978: 58.7%1980: 59.7%1982: 60.7%1984: 61.7%1986: 62.6%1988: 63.5%1990: 64.3%1992: 65%1994: 65.8%1996: 66.6%1998: 67.5%2000: 68.4%2002: 69.3%2004: 70.1%2006: 70.6%2008: 70.9%2010: 71.2%2012: 71.6%2014: 72%2016: 72.5%2018: 73.1%2020: 73.7%2022: 74.2%2024: 74.8%2025: 75%
Change over the period: +28.7 pp Annual average: 0.44 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Central America 75%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Central America, by year Central America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 75 +0.3 pp
2024 74.8 +0.3 pp
2023 74.5 +0.3 pp
2022 74.2 +0.3 pp
2021 74 +0.3 pp
2020 73.7 +0.3 pp
2019 73.4 +0.3 pp
2018 73.1 +0.3 pp
2017 72.8 +0.3 pp
2016 72.5 +0.2 pp
2015 72.3 +0.2 pp
2014 72 +0.2 pp
2013 71.8 +0.2 pp
2012 71.6 +0.2 pp
2011 71.4 +0.2 pp
2010 71.2 +0.2 pp
2009 71.1 +0.2 pp
2008 70.9 +0.2 pp
2007 70.7 +0.2 pp
2006 70.6 +0.2 pp
2005 70.4 +0.3 pp
2004 70.1 +0.4 pp
2003 69.8 +0.4 pp
2002 69.3 +0.5 pp
2001 68.9 +0.5 pp
2000 68.4 +0.5 pp
1999 67.9 +0.5 pp
1998 67.5 +0.5 pp
1997 67 +0.4 pp
1996 66.6 +0.4 pp
1995 66.1 +0.4 pp
1994 65.8 +0.4 pp
1993 65.4 +0.4 pp
1992 65 +0.4 pp
1991 64.6 +0.4 pp
1990 64.3 +0.4 pp
1989 63.9 +0.4 pp
1988 63.5 +0.4 pp
1987 63 +0.4 pp
1986 62.6 +0.4 pp
1985 62.2 +0.5 pp
1984 61.7 +0.5 pp
1983 61.2 +0.5 pp
1982 60.7 +0.5 pp
1981 60.2 +0.5 pp
1980 59.7 +0.5 pp
1979 59.2 +0.5 pp
1978 58.7 +0.5 pp
1977 58.2 +0.6 pp
1976 57.6 +0.6 pp
1975 57 +0.6 pp
1974 56.4 +0.6 pp
1973 55.8 +0.7 pp
1972 55.1 +0.7 pp
1971 54.4 +0.7 pp
1970 53.7 +0.7 pp
1969 53 +0.7 pp
1968 52.3 +0.8 pp
1967 51.5 +0.8 pp
1966 50.7 +0.8 pp
1965 50 +0.8 pp
1964 49.2 +0.7 pp
1963 48.5 +0.7 pp
1962 47.7 +0.7 pp
1961 47 +0.7 pp
1960 46.3

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.