Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Upper-middle-income countries

Urban population share in upper-middle-income countries in 2025 — 69.8%. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 44.2 pp.

2025 69.8% +0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 69.8%2025
Period minimum 24.7%1963

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Upper-middle-income countries, 1960–20252040608019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 25.6%1962: 24.8%1964: 25.9%1966: 26.1%1968: 26.5%1970: 26.8%1972: 27.2%1974: 27.8%1976: 28.6%1978: 29.7%1980: 31.2%1982: 32.6%1984: 34.6%1986: 36.1%1988: 37.5%1990: 38.3%1992: 39.6%1994: 40.8%1996: 42.6%1998: 44.9%2000: 47.3%2002: 49.4%2004: 51.5%2006: 53.4%2008: 55.4%2010: 57.2%2012: 59.7%2014: 61.8%2016: 64%2018: 65.9%2020: 67.4%2022: 68.7%2024: 69.4%2025: 69.8%
Change over the period: +44.2 pp Annual average: 0.68 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Upper-middle-income countries

Upper-middle-income countries 69.8%
World 57.8%
Urban population share — Upper-middle-income countries, by year Upper-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 69.8 +0.4 pp
2024 69.4 +0.4 pp
2023 69 +0.4 pp
2022 68.7 +0.4 pp
2021 68.2 +0.8 pp
2020 67.4 +0.6 pp
2019 66.8 +0.9 pp
2018 65.9 +1 pp
2017 64.9 +0.9 pp
2016 64 +1 pp
2015 63 +1.1 pp
2014 61.8 +1 pp
2013 60.8 +1.1 pp
2012 59.7 +0.9 pp
2011 58.8 +1.6 pp
2010 57.2 +0.7 pp
2009 56.4 +1 pp
2008 55.4 +0.9 pp
2007 54.6 +1.1 pp
2006 53.4 +1 pp
2005 52.4 +1 pp
2004 51.5 +1 pp
2003 50.5 +1.1 pp
2002 49.4 +1.1 pp
2001 48.3 +1 pp
2000 47.3 +1.3 pp
1999 46 +1.2 pp
1998 44.9 +1.2 pp
1997 43.7 +1.2 pp
1996 42.6 +1.1 pp
1995 41.4 +0.6 pp
1994 40.8 +0.6 pp
1993 40.2 +0.6 pp
1992 39.6 +0.6 pp
1991 39 +0.7 pp
1990 38.3 +0.3 pp
1989 38 +0.5 pp
1988 37.5 +0.6 pp
1987 36.9 +0.8 pp
1986 36.1 +0.8 pp
1985 35.4 +0.7 pp
1984 34.6 +1.1 pp
1983 33.5 +0.9 pp
1982 32.6 +0.6 pp
1981 32 +0.8 pp
1980 31.2 +0.6 pp
1979 30.6 +1 pp
1978 29.7 +0.6 pp
1977 29.1 +0.4 pp
1976 28.6 +0.4 pp
1975 28.2 +0.4 pp
1974 27.8 +0.3 pp
1973 27.5 +0.3 pp
1972 27.2 +0.2 pp
1971 27 +0.2 pp
1970 26.8 +0.2 pp
1969 26.6 +0.2 pp
1968 26.5 +0.2 pp
1967 26.3 +0.2 pp
1966 26.1 +0.2 pp
1965 25.9 +0.1 pp
1964 25.9 +1.1 pp
1963 24.7 −0 pp
1962 24.8 −0.9 pp
1961 25.7 +0.1 pp
1960 25.6

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.