Urban population — all countries

Urban population — Low-income countries

Urban population in low-income countries in 2025 — 280,298,616 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 1,408.9%.

2025 280M people +3.95% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 280M people2025
Period minimum 18.58M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Urban population — Low-income countries, 1960–20250100M200M300M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 18,575,970 people1962: 20,551,150 people1964: 22,699,992 people1966: 25,151,061 people1968: 27,958,310 people1970: 30,928,599 people1972: 34,024,959 people1974: 37,243,457 people1976: 40,415,859 people1978: 43,727,286 people1980: 47,281,722 people1982: 50,727,229 people1984: 55,092,951 people1986: 60,046,270 people1988: 65,696,954 people1990: 71,585,906 people1992: 77,908,045 people1994: 84,815,892 people1996: 91,788,044 people1998: 99,016,966 people2000: 106,811,279 people2002: 115,147,677 people2004: 124,011,193 people2006: 133,691,113 people2008: 144,533,375 people2010: 156,129,541 people2012: 170,324,284 people2014: 184,280,696 people2016: 197,479,290 people2018: 213,472,874 people2020: 231,124,260 people2022: 249,661,333 people2024: 269,656,794 people2025: 280,298,616 people
Change over the period: +262M (+1,408.93%) Average annual rate: 4.26 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Low-income countries 280M people
World 4.75B people
Urban population — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 280M +10.64M +3.95%
2024 270M +10.42M +4.02%
2023 259M +9.57M +3.83%
2022 250M +9.48M +3.95%
2021 240M +9.06M +3.92%
2020 231M +8.93M +4.02%
2019 222M +8.72M +4.09%
2018 213M +8.33M +4.06%
2017 205M +7.66M +3.88%
2016 197M +6.97M +3.66%
2015 191M +6.23M +3.38%
2014 184M +6.46M +3.63%
2013 178M +7.5M +4.4%
2012 170M +7.52M +4.62%
2011 163M +6.67M +4.27%
2010 156M +5.96M +3.97%
2009 150M +5.64M +3.9%
2008 145M +5.77M +4.16%
2007 139M +5.07M +3.79%
2006 134M +5.04M +3.92%
2005 129M +4.64M +3.74%
2004 124M +4.46M +3.73%
2003 120M +4.4M +3.82%
2002 115M +4.3M +3.88%
2001 111M +4.04M +3.78%
2000 107M +3.9M +3.79%
1999 103M +3.89M +3.93%
1998 99.02M +3.74M +3.92%
1997 95.28M +3.49M +3.8%
1996 91.79M +3.41M +3.86%
1995 88.37M +3.56M +4.19%
1994 84.82M +3.56M +4.38%
1993 81.26M +3.35M +4.3%
1992 77.91M +3.15M +4.22%
1991 74.76M +3.17M +4.43%
1990 71.59M +2.94M +4.28%
1989 68.65M +2.95M +4.5%
1988 65.7M +2.83M +4.51%
1987 62.86M +2.82M +4.69%
1986 60.05M +2.51M +4.37%
1985 57.53M +2.44M +4.43%
1984 55.09M +2.27M +4.29%
1983 52.83M +2.1M +4.14%
1982 50.73M +1.84M +3.76%
1981 48.89M +1.61M +3.4%
1980 47.28M +1.71M +3.75%
1979 45.57M +1.84M +4.22%
1978 43.73M +1.72M +4.1%
1977 42M +1.59M +3.93%
1976 40.42M +1.58M +4.08%
1975 38.83M +1.59M +4.26%
1974 37.24M +1.61M +4.52%
1973 35.63M +1.61M +4.72%
1972 34.02M +1.55M +4.79%
1971 32.47M +1.54M +4.99%
1970 30.93M +1.49M +5.08%
1969 29.43M +1.48M +5.28%
1968 27.96M +1.44M +5.43%
1967 26.52M +1.37M +5.44%
1966 25.15M +1.27M +5.32%
1965 23.88M +1.18M +5.2%
1964 22.7M +1.1M +5.11%
1963 21.6M +1.04M +5.08%
1962 20.55M +997,306 +5.1%
1961 19.55M +977,874 +5.26%
1960 18.58M

About the indicator

The population living in urban settlements, by national definitions of urban areas. The indicator complements the urban population share: a country with a modest urbanization percentage can hold one of the largest urban populations in the world simply because of its overall size.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.