Urban population growth (annual %) in Arab World
Arab World: Urban population growth (annual %) was 2.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Arab World, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Arab World is 2.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Arab World peaked at 5.1% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2021.
That places Arab World 13th 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 growth (annual %) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.0% | — |
| 1962 | 5.1% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 5.1% | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 4.8% | -4.2% |
| 1966 | 4.6% | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 4.6% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 4.7% | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 4.7% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 4.6% | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 4.5% | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 4.5% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 4.4% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 4.4% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 4.4% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 4.4% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 4.4% | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 4.5% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 4.7% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 4.7% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 4.5% | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 4.4% | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 4.4% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 4.5% | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 4.4% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 4.4% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 4.3% | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 4.0% | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 4.3% | +12.1% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -29.0% |
| 1992 | 3.4% | +13.7% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 3.0% | -9.1% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 2.9% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 3.1% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -22.2% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | +29.7% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | +16.3% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -21.7% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -11.2% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | -17.5% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -11.5% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | +17.4% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -36.1% |
| 2022 | 2.7% | +72.1% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 2.6% | -2.9% |
| 2025 | 2.5% | -2.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Arab 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +72.1% | 1.6% | 2.7% |
| 2021 | -36.1% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| 2011 | +29.7% | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| 1991 | -29.0% | 4.3% | 3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.3% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 2.0% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 10 Mali 4.8% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 4.6% compare
- 12 Solomon Islands 4.4% compare
- 13 Malawi 4.4% compare
- 14 Central African Republic 4.3% compare
- 15 Somalia 4.3% compare
- 16 Burkina Faso 4.3% compare
More climate change data for Arab World
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6004 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 302.20 million (2025)
- Population, total 503.36 million (2025)
- Population growth 2.2% (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 36.8 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 21.92 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Arab World?
- Urban population growth in Arab World was 2.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 1962.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2021.
- How does Arab World rank for urban population growth?
- Arab World ranks 13th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.