Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Melanesia

Urban population share in Melanesia in 2025 — 21.2%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 13.3 pp.

2025 21.2% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 21.2%2025
Period minimum 7.9%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Melanesia, 1960–202551015202519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 7.9%1962: 9.1%1964: 10.3%1966: 11.5%1968: 13.2%1970: 15.3%1972: 16.6%1974: 17.6%1976: 18.1%1978: 18.2%1980: 18.3%1982: 18.5%1984: 19%1986: 19.6%1988: 20.2%1990: 20.6%1992: 20.6%1994: 20.3%1996: 19.8%1998: 19.4%2000: 19.1%2002: 19.1%2004: 19%2006: 18.9%2008: 18.9%2010: 18.9%2012: 18.9%2014: 19%2016: 19.1%2018: 19.4%2020: 19.7%2022: 20.2%2024: 20.9%2025: 21.2%
Change over the period: +13.3 pp Annual average: 0.21 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Melanesia 21.2%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Melanesia, by year Melanesia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 21.2 +0.3 pp
2024 20.9 +0.3 pp
2023 20.5 +0.3 pp
2022 20.2 +0.3 pp
2021 20 +0.2 pp
2020 19.7 +0.2 pp
2019 19.6 +0.2 pp
2018 19.4 +0.1 pp
2017 19.3 +0.1 pp
2016 19.1 +0.1 pp
2015 19 +0.1 pp
2014 19 +0.1 pp
2013 18.9 +0 pp
2012 18.9 +0 pp
2011 18.9 −0 pp
2010 18.9 −0 pp
2009 18.9 −0 pp
2008 18.9 −0 pp
2007 18.9 −0 pp
2006 18.9 −0 pp
2005 19 −0 pp
2004 19 −0 pp
2003 19 −0 pp
2002 19.1 −0 pp
2001 19.1 −0 pp
2000 19.1 −0.1 pp
1999 19.2 −0.2 pp
1998 19.4 −0.2 pp
1997 19.6 −0.2 pp
1996 19.8 −0.2 pp
1995 20.1 −0.2 pp
1994 20.3 −0.2 pp
1993 20.4 −0.1 pp
1992 20.6 −0.1 pp
1991 20.6 +0 pp
1990 20.6 +0.1 pp
1989 20.4 +0.2 pp
1988 20.2 +0.3 pp
1987 19.9 +0.3 pp
1986 19.6 +0.3 pp
1985 19.3 +0.3 pp
1984 19 +0.3 pp
1983 18.7 +0.2 pp
1982 18.5 +0.2 pp
1981 18.3 +0.1 pp
1980 18.3 +0 pp
1979 18.2 +0 pp
1978 18.2 +0 pp
1977 18.1 +0.1 pp
1976 18.1 +0.2 pp
1975 17.9 +0.3 pp
1974 17.6 +0.4 pp
1973 17.1 +0.5 pp
1972 16.6 +0.6 pp
1971 16.1 +0.8 pp
1970 15.3 +1 pp
1969 14.3 +1.1 pp
1968 13.2 +1 pp
1967 12.2 +0.8 pp
1966 11.5 +0.6 pp
1965 10.9 +0.6 pp
1964 10.3 +0.6 pp
1963 9.7 +0.6 pp
1962 9.1 +0.6 pp
1961 8.5 +0.6 pp
1960 7.9

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.