Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Northern Europe

Urban population share in Northern Europe in 2025 — 81.9%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 10.2 pp.

2025 81.9% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 81.9%2025
Period minimum 71.7%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Northern Europe, 1960–20257075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 71.7%1962: 72%1964: 72.4%1966: 72.8%1968: 73.2%1970: 73.7%1972: 74.1%1974: 74.6%1976: 75.2%1978: 75.7%1980: 76.1%1982: 76.2%1984: 76.2%1986: 76.3%1988: 76.3%1990: 76.3%1992: 76.4%1994: 76.6%1996: 77%1998: 77.4%2000: 77.8%2002: 78.1%2004: 78.3%2006: 78.6%2008: 78.9%2010: 79.2%2012: 79.5%2014: 80%2016: 80.4%2018: 80.9%2020: 81.3%2022: 81.6%2024: 81.8%2025: 81.9%
Change over the period: +10.2 pp Annual average: 0.16 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Northern Europe 81.9%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Northern Europe, by year Northern Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 81.9 +0.1 pp
2024 81.8 +0.1 pp
2023 81.7 +0.1 pp
2022 81.6 +0.1 pp
2021 81.5 +0.1 pp
2020 81.3 +0.2 pp
2019 81.1 +0.2 pp
2018 80.9 +0.2 pp
2017 80.7 +0.2 pp
2016 80.4 +0.2 pp
2015 80.2 +0.2 pp
2014 80 +0.2 pp
2013 79.7 +0.2 pp
2012 79.5 +0.2 pp
2011 79.3 +0.2 pp
2010 79.2 +0.2 pp
2009 79 +0.2 pp
2008 78.9 +0.1 pp
2007 78.7 +0.1 pp
2006 78.6 +0.1 pp
2005 78.5 +0.1 pp
2004 78.3 +0.1 pp
2003 78.2 +0.1 pp
2002 78.1 +0.1 pp
2001 77.9 +0.2 pp
2000 77.8 +0.2 pp
1999 77.6 +0.2 pp
1998 77.4 +0.2 pp
1997 77.2 +0.2 pp
1996 77 +0.2 pp
1995 76.8 +0.2 pp
1994 76.6 +0.2 pp
1993 76.5 +0.1 pp
1992 76.4 +0.1 pp
1991 76.3 +0 pp
1990 76.3 −0 pp
1989 76.3 +0 pp
1988 76.3 +0 pp
1987 76.3 +0 pp
1986 76.3 +0 pp
1985 76.2 +0 pp
1984 76.2 +0 pp
1983 76.2 +0 pp
1982 76.2 +0 pp
1981 76.2 +0.1 pp
1980 76.1 +0.2 pp
1979 75.9 +0.2 pp
1978 75.7 +0.2 pp
1977 75.5 +0.3 pp
1976 75.2 +0.3 pp
1975 74.9 +0.3 pp
1974 74.6 +0.3 pp
1973 74.3 +0.3 pp
1972 74.1 +0.2 pp
1971 73.8 +0.2 pp
1970 73.7 +0.2 pp
1969 73.5 +0.2 pp
1968 73.2 +0.2 pp
1967 73 +0.2 pp
1966 72.8 +0.2 pp
1965 72.6 +0.2 pp
1964 72.4 +0.2 pp
1963 72.2 +0.2 pp
1962 72 +0.2 pp
1961 71.9 +0.1 pp
1960 71.7

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.