Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Southern Europe

Urban population share in Southern Europe in 2025 — 71.8%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 20.9 pp.

2025 71.8% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 71.8%2025
Period minimum 50.9%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Southern Europe, 1960–20255060708019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 50.9%1962: 52.1%1964: 53.5%1966: 55.2%1968: 56.7%1970: 58.1%1972: 59.1%1974: 60%1976: 60.9%1978: 61.6%1980: 62.3%1982: 62.8%1984: 63.2%1986: 63.6%1988: 64%1990: 64.3%1992: 64.7%1994: 65.2%1996: 65.5%1998: 65.9%2000: 66.3%2002: 66.8%2004: 67.4%2006: 68%2008: 68.6%2010: 69.2%2012: 69.6%2014: 70.2%2016: 70.4%2018: 70.7%2020: 70.9%2022: 71.2%2024: 71.6%2025: 71.8%
Change over the period: +20.9 pp Annual average: 0.32 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Southern Europe 71.8%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Southern Europe, by year Southern Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 71.8 +0.2 pp
2024 71.6 +0.2 pp
2023 71.4 +0.2 pp
2022 71.2 +0.2 pp
2021 71 +0.1 pp
2020 70.9 +0.1 pp
2019 70.8 +0.1 pp
2018 70.7 +0.1 pp
2017 70.6 +0.1 pp
2016 70.4 +0.1 pp
2015 70.3 +0.2 pp
2014 70.2 +0.2 pp
2013 69.9 +0.3 pp
2012 69.6 +0.2 pp
2011 69.4 +0.2 pp
2010 69.2 +0.2 pp
2009 68.9 +0.3 pp
2008 68.6 +0.3 pp
2007 68.3 +0.3 pp
2006 68 +0.3 pp
2005 67.7 +0.3 pp
2004 67.4 +0.3 pp
2003 67.1 +0.3 pp
2002 66.8 +0.2 pp
2001 66.6 +0.2 pp
2000 66.3 +0.2 pp
1999 66.1 +0.2 pp
1998 65.9 +0.2 pp
1997 65.7 +0.2 pp
1996 65.5 +0.2 pp
1995 65.4 +0.2 pp
1994 65.2 +0.2 pp
1993 65 +0.2 pp
1992 64.7 +0.2 pp
1991 64.5 +0.2 pp
1990 64.3 +0.2 pp
1989 64.1 +0.2 pp
1988 64 +0.2 pp
1987 63.8 +0.2 pp
1986 63.6 +0.2 pp
1985 63.4 +0.2 pp
1984 63.2 +0.2 pp
1983 63 +0.2 pp
1982 62.8 +0.2 pp
1981 62.6 +0.3 pp
1980 62.3 +0.3 pp
1979 62 +0.3 pp
1978 61.6 +0.4 pp
1977 61.3 +0.4 pp
1976 60.9 +0.4 pp
1975 60.5 +0.4 pp
1974 60 +0.5 pp
1973 59.6 +0.5 pp
1972 59.1 +0.5 pp
1971 58.6 +0.5 pp
1970 58.1 +0.6 pp
1969 57.4 +0.7 pp
1968 56.7 +0.8 pp
1967 56 +0.8 pp
1966 55.2 +0.8 pp
1965 54.3 +0.8 pp
1964 53.5 +0.8 pp
1963 52.8 +0.7 pp
1962 52.1 +0.6 pp
1961 51.4 +0.6 pp
1960 50.9

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.