Urban population, annual growth rate in World
World: Urban population, annual growth rate was 1.37 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population, annual growth rate in World, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
World recorded 1.37 % change on previous year for urban population, annual growth rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in World peaked at 3.86 % change on previous year in 1964 and was at its lowest, 1.34 % change on previous year, in 2022.
That places World 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population, annual growth rate in World, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.19 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 1.46 % change on previous year | -33.4% |
| 1963 | 2.6 % change on previous year | +78.9% |
| 1964 | 3.86 % change on previous year | +48.1% |
| 1965 | 2.68 % change on previous year | -30.4% |
| 1966 | 2.76 % change on previous year | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 2.73 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 2.71 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 2.71 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 2.65 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 2.7 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 2.65 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 2.78 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 2.62 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 1975 | 2.66 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 2.61 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 2.57 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1978 | 2.69 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 3.09 % change on previous year | +15.0% |
| 1980 | 2.68 % change on previous year | -13.4% |
| 1981 | 2.79 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 2.56 % change on previous year | -8.4% |
| 1983 | 2.86 % change on previous year | +12.1% |
| 1984 | 3 % change on previous year | +4.8% |
| 1985 | 2.6 % change on previous year | -13.3% |
| 1986 | 2.68 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 2.68 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 2.49 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1989 | 2.4 % change on previous year | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 2.16 % change on previous year | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 2.48 % change on previous year | +15.0% |
| 1992 | 2.31 % change on previous year | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 2.22 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 2.2 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.63 % change on previous year | +19.4% |
| 1997 | 2.6 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 2.57 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 2.49 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 2.57 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 2.36 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 2.44 % change on previous year | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 2.44 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.35 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 2.3 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 2.33 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.37 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 2.21 % change on previous year | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 2.24 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 1.99 % change on previous year | -11.5% |
| 2011 | 2.59 % change on previous year | +30.6% |
| 2012 | 2.15 % change on previous year | -16.9% |
| 2013 | 2.23 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 2.11 % change on previous year | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 2.16 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 2.04 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 1.92 % change on previous year | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 1.76 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2020 | 1.53 % change on previous year | -12.9% |
| 2021 | 1.49 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 1.34 % change on previous year | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 1.35 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 1.41 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 2025 | 1.37 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population, annual growth rate in World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +78.9% | 1.46 % change on previous year | 2.6 % change on previous year |
| 1964 | +48.1% | 2.6 % change on previous year | 3.86 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.63 % change on previous year | 1.46 % change on previous year | 3.86 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.7 % change on previous year | 2.57 % change on previous year | 3.09 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.68 % change on previous year | 2.4 % change on previous year | 3 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.39 % change on previous year | 2.16 % change on previous year | 2.63 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.36 % change on previous year | 2.21 % change on previous year | 2.57 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.08 % change on previous year | 1.76 % change on previous year | 2.59 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.42 % change on previous year | 1.34 % change on previous year | 1.53 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
- 22 Qatar 4.04 % change on previous year compare
- 23 Benin 4.02 % change on previous year compare
- 24 Madagascar 3.9 % change on previous year compare
- 25 Syrian Arab Republic 3.85 % change on previous year compare
- 26 Zambia 3.82 % change on previous year compare
- 27 Afghanistan 3.76 % change on previous year compare
- 28 Yemen 3.57 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for World
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 135.91 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4.94 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1.27 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.67 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 4,791 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 130,918 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1.64 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 957,726 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 685,096 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3,614 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in World?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in World was 1.37 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 3.86 % change on previous year in 1964.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.34 % change on previous year in 2022.
- How does World rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- World ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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.