Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Eastern Asia

Urban population share in Eastern Asia in 2025 — 68.9%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 43.3 pp.

2025 68.9% +0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 68.9%2025
Period minimum 23.8%1963

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Eastern Asia, 1960–202502040608019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 25.7%1962: 24.1%1964: 25.1%1966: 24.9%1968: 24.9%1970: 24.8%1972: 24.9%1974: 25.1%1976: 25.4%1978: 25.9%1980: 27.3%1982: 28.4%1984: 30.5%1986: 31.9%1988: 33%1990: 33.4%1992: 34.5%1994: 35.4%1996: 37.1%1998: 39.5%2000: 42.2%2002: 44.6%2004: 47.2%2006: 49.7%2008: 52.1%2010: 54.2%2012: 57.5%2014: 59.8%2016: 62.4%2018: 64.7%2020: 66.5%2022: 67.9%2024: 68.5%2025: 68.9%
Change over the period: +43.3 pp Annual average: 0.67 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Eastern Asia 68.9%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Eastern Asia, by year Eastern Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 68.9 +0.4 pp
2024 68.5 +0.3 pp
2023 68.2 +0.3 pp
2022 67.9 +0.4 pp
2021 67.5 +1 pp
2020 66.5 +0.7 pp
2019 65.8 +1 pp
2018 64.7 +1.1 pp
2017 63.6 +1.2 pp
2016 62.4 +1.3 pp
2015 61.1 +1.4 pp
2014 59.8 +1.1 pp
2013 58.7 +1.2 pp
2012 57.5 +1.1 pp
2011 56.4 +2.2 pp
2010 54.2 +0.8 pp
2009 53.4 +1.2 pp
2008 52.1 +1 pp
2007 51.1 +1.4 pp
2006 49.7 +1.3 pp
2005 48.4 +1.2 pp
2004 47.2 +1.2 pp
2003 46 +1.4 pp
2002 44.6 +1.3 pp
2001 43.3 +1.1 pp
2000 42.2 +1.4 pp
1999 40.7 +1.2 pp
1998 39.5 +1.2 pp
1997 38.3 +1.2 pp
1996 37.1 +1.2 pp
1995 35.8 +0.5 pp
1994 35.4 +0.5 pp
1993 34.9 +0.5 pp
1992 34.5 +0.5 pp
1991 34 +0.6 pp
1990 33.4 +0 pp
1989 33.4 +0.4 pp
1988 33 +0.5 pp
1987 32.6 +0.7 pp
1986 31.9 +0.7 pp
1985 31.1 +0.6 pp
1984 30.5 +1.2 pp
1983 29.3 +0.9 pp
1982 28.4 +0.4 pp
1981 28 +0.7 pp
1980 27.3 +0.4 pp
1979 26.9 +0.9 pp
1978 25.9 +0.4 pp
1977 25.6 +0.1 pp
1976 25.4 +0.1 pp
1975 25.3 +0.2 pp
1974 25.1 +0.1 pp
1973 25 +0.2 pp
1972 24.9 −0 pp
1971 24.9 +0 pp
1970 24.8 −0 pp
1969 24.9 −0 pp
1968 24.9 +0 pp
1967 24.9 −0 pp
1966 24.9 −0 pp
1965 24.9 −0.2 pp
1964 25.1 +1.3 pp
1963 23.8 −0.3 pp
1962 24.1 −1.4 pp
1961 25.6 −0.1 pp
1960 25.7

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.