Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Western Europe

Urban population share in Western Europe in 2025 — 82.2%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 14.7 pp.

2025 82.2% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 82.2%2025
Period minimum 67.5%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Western Europe, 1960–2025657075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 67.5%1962: 68.7%1964: 70.1%1966: 71.5%1968: 72.5%1970: 73.1%1972: 73.6%1974: 74%1976: 74.1%1978: 74.3%1980: 74.4%1982: 74.7%1984: 75%1986: 75.3%1988: 75.6%1990: 75.9%1992: 76.2%1994: 76.5%1996: 77%1998: 77.6%2000: 78%2002: 78.5%2004: 78.8%2006: 79%2008: 79.1%2010: 79.2%2012: 79.4%2014: 79.8%2016: 80.5%2018: 81%2020: 81.5%2022: 81.8%2024: 82.1%2025: 82.2%
Change over the period: +14.7 pp Annual average: 0.23 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Western Europe 82.2%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Western Europe, by year Western Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 82.2 +0.1 pp
2024 82.1 +0.1 pp
2023 82 +0.1 pp
2022 81.8 +0.2 pp
2021 81.7 +0.2 pp
2020 81.5 +0.2 pp
2019 81.3 +0.3 pp
2018 81 +0.3 pp
2017 80.7 +0.2 pp
2016 80.5 +0.4 pp
2015 80.1 +0.3 pp
2014 79.8 +0.2 pp
2013 79.6 +0.1 pp
2012 79.4 +0.1 pp
2011 79.3 +0.1 pp
2010 79.2 +0.1 pp
2009 79.1 +0.1 pp
2008 79.1 +0 pp
2007 79 +0.1 pp
2006 79 +0.1 pp
2005 78.9 +0.1 pp
2004 78.8 +0.1 pp
2003 78.7 +0.1 pp
2002 78.5 +0.2 pp
2001 78.3 +0.3 pp
2000 78 +0.3 pp
1999 77.8 +0.2 pp
1998 77.6 +0.2 pp
1997 77.4 +0.4 pp
1996 77 +0.3 pp
1995 76.7 +0.2 pp
1994 76.5 +0.2 pp
1993 76.4 +0.2 pp
1992 76.2 +0.1 pp
1991 76.1 +0.1 pp
1990 75.9 +0.1 pp
1989 75.8 +0.2 pp
1988 75.6 +0.2 pp
1987 75.5 +0.1 pp
1986 75.3 +0.2 pp
1985 75.2 +0.1 pp
1984 75 +0.1 pp
1983 74.9 +0.1 pp
1982 74.7 +0.1 pp
1981 74.6 +0.1 pp
1980 74.4 +0.1 pp
1979 74.4 +0.1 pp
1978 74.3 +0.1 pp
1977 74.2 +0.1 pp
1976 74.1 +0.1 pp
1975 74 +0.1 pp
1974 74 +0.2 pp
1973 73.8 +0.2 pp
1972 73.6 +0.2 pp
1971 73.4 +0.3 pp
1970 73.1 +0.3 pp
1969 72.8 +0.3 pp
1968 72.5 +0.4 pp
1967 72 +0.6 pp
1966 71.5 +0.7 pp
1965 70.8 +0.7 pp
1964 70.1 +0.7 pp
1963 69.3 +0.6 pp
1962 68.7 +0.6 pp
1961 68.1 +0.5 pp
1960 67.5

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.