Urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Urban population, annual growth rate was 3.67 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Least developed countries recorded 3.67 % change on previous year for urban population, annual growth rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries peaked at 6.61 % change on previous year in 1972 and was at its lowest, 3.58 % change on previous year, in 2023.
Least developed countries ranks 5th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.11 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 5.22 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 5.27 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 5.4 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 5.5 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 5.55 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 5.57 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 1969 | 6.16 % change on previous year | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 6.24 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 6.34 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 6.61 % change on previous year | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 6.33 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1974 | 3.82 % change on previous year | -39.6% |
| 1975 | 4.12 % change on previous year | +7.9% |
| 1976 | 6.43 % change on previous year | +55.8% |
| 1977 | 6.38 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 6.36 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 6.45 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 5.76 % change on previous year | -10.7% |
| 1981 | 4.85 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 1982 | 4.9 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 5.06 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 5.04 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 5.01 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 4.86 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 4.97 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 4.75 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 4.67 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 4.52 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 4.58 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 4.37 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 4.44 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 4.51 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 4.35 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 4.09 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 1997 | 4.06 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 4.13 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 4.11 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 4.05 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 4.06 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 4.19 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 4.25 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 4.23 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 4.25 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 4.25 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 4.02 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 4.27 % change on previous year | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 4.08 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 3.95 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 3.85 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 3.78 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 3.83 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 3.87 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 3.82 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 3.85 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 3.87 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 3.86 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 3.77 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 3.7 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 3.64 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 3.58 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 3.58 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.67 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 3.67 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +55.8% | 4.12 % change on previous year | 6.43 % change on previous year |
| 1974 | -39.6% | 6.33 % change on previous year | 3.82 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.51 % change on previous year | 5.11 % change on previous year | 6.16 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.91 % change on previous year | 3.82 % change on previous year | 6.61 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.99 % change on previous year | 4.67 % change on previous year | 5.76 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.32 % change on previous year | 4.06 % change on previous year | 4.58 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.17 % change on previous year | 4.02 % change on previous year | 4.27 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.84 % change on previous year | 3.77 % change on previous year | 3.95 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.64 % change on previous year | 3.58 % change on previous year | 3.7 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 2 Chad 5.91 % change on previous year compare
- 3 Rwanda 5.71 % change on previous year compare
- 4 Niger 5.13 % change on previous year compare
- 5 Mozambique 5.07 % change on previous year compare
- 6 United Arab Emirates 4.97 % change on previous year compare
- 7 Saudi Arabia 4.93 % change on previous year compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 4.93 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for Least developed countries
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3664 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 36.6% (2025)
- Urban population 444.81 million (2025)
- Population, total 1.21 billion (2025)
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 20.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Least developed countries was 3.67 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 6.61 % change on previous year in 1972.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.58 % change on previous year in 2023.
- How does Least developed countries rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Least developed countries ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.