Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 13.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 13.7% for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries peaked at 13.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1960.
Least developed countries ranks 36th of 37 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.5% | — |
| 1961 | 3.6% | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 3.7% | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 3.8% | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 3.9% | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 4.1% | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 4.2% | +3.5% |
| 1967 | 4.4% | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | +4.4% |
| 1969 | 4.8% | +4.5% |
| 1970 | 5.0% | +4.5% |
| 1971 | 5.2% | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 5.5% | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 5.7% | +4.4% |
| 1974 | 6.0% | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 5.6% | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 5.8% | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 6.0% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 6.2% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 6.3% | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 6.8% | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 6.9% | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 7.1% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 7.3% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 7.5% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 7.7% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 7.9% | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 8.1% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 8.3% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 8.6% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 8.8% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 8.9% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 9.0% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 9.1% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 9.2% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 9.4% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 9.5% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 9.6% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 9.8% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 9.9% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 10.1% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 10.2% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 10.4% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 10.5% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 10.8% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 11.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 11.2% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 11.3% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 11.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 11.9% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 12.1% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 12.2% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 12.4% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 12.5% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 12.7% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 12.8% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 13.0% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 13.4% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 13.5% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 13.7% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.7% | 5.0% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 6.5% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 8.6% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 9.9% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 11.3% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.3% | 12.8% | 13.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 33 Dominican Republic 31.7% compare
- 34 Liberia 31.3% compare
- 35 Oman 31.0% compare
- 36 Cameroon 30.8% compare
- 37 Mauritania 30.3% compare
- 38 Greece 30.3% compare
- 39 Costa Rica 29.2% compare
More climate change data for Least developed countries
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Population, total 1.21 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Urban population 444.81 million (2025)
- Urban population 36.6% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 198.48 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 4.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 15.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 11.2% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 4.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Least developed countries was 13.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 13.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1960.
- How does Least developed countries rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- Least developed countries ranks 36th out of 37 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the percentage of a country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.