Urban population growth in Bhutan
Bhutan: Urban population growth was 2.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Bhutan, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 2.7% for urban population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Bhutan peaked at 20.5% in 1974 and was at its lowest, -0.6%, in 1993.
Bhutan ranks 54th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.6% | — |
| 1962 | 4.7% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 4.8% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 4.9% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 5.1% | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 5.4% | +5.4% |
| 1967 | 5.7% | +6.5% |
| 1968 | 6.1% | +6.9% |
| 1969 | 6.5% | +7.1% |
| 1970 | 8.5% | +29.8% |
| 1971 | 13.8% | +62.9% |
| 1972 | 18.7% | +35.5% |
| 1973 | 20.5% | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 20.5% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 19.6% | -4.5% |
| 1976 | 18.3% | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 16.7% | -8.5% |
| 1978 | 15.1% | -9.6% |
| 1979 | 13.5% | -10.7% |
| 1980 | 11.9% | -12.0% |
| 1981 | 10.3% | -13.6% |
| 1982 | 9.2% | -10.0% |
| 1983 | 8.8% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 8.5% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 8.2% | -3.9% |
| 1986 | 7.9% | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 7.6% | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 7.3% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 6.6% | -6.0% |
| 1991 | 5.5% | -16.8% |
| 1992 | -0.2% | -102.8% |
| 1993 | -0.6% | +322.4% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -602.0% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -39.5% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +60.8% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | +48.1% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 3.8% | -8.6% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | -12.7% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -8.5% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | +16.8% |
| 2024 | 2.6% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 2.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 97% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 2.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.7%, 1.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth in Bhutan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +602.0% | -0.6% | 3.3% |
| 1993 | -322.4% | -0.2% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | -102.8% | 5.5% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | +62.9% | 8.5% | 13.8% |
| 1996 | +60.8% | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| 1997 | +48.1% | 3.2% | 4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.3% | 4.6% | 6.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 16.5% | 8.5% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.7% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | -0.6% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 2.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More climate change data for Bhutan
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 2.70 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 581.26 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 78.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 503.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.2952 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17.97 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 129 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 40.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 88.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1518 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Bhutan?
- Urban population growth in Bhutan was 2.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 20.5% in 1974.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6% in 1993.
- How does Bhutan rank for urban population growth?
- Bhutan ranks 54th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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
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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.