Urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics
Central Europe and the Baltics: Urban population growth was -0.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics is -0.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 273.0% on the previous year and up 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics peaked at 2.5% in 1964 and was at its lowest, -1.1%, in 2021.
That places Central Europe and the Baltics 45th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3% | — |
| 1962 | 2.1% | -7.4% |
| 1963 | 2.1% | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +16.5% |
| 1965 | 2.2% | -8.6% |
| 1966 | 2.0% | -13.3% |
| 1967 | 2.1% | +7.1% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 2.1% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 1.9% | -8.8% |
| 1971 | 1.9% | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 2.2% | +17.9% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 2.0% | -12.8% |
| 1976 | 2.4% | +15.9% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | -13.3% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -22.3% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +36.8% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -29.7% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -9.5% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | -6.0% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | -25.0% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | -17.7% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -49.2% |
| 1990 | 0.1% | -81.2% |
| 1991 | -0.1% | -241.0% |
| 1992 | -0.2% | +110.5% |
| 1993 | -0.0% | -87.4% |
| 1994 | -0.0% | -62.3% |
| 1995 | -0.2% | +1450.1% |
| 1996 | -0.3% | +67.2% |
| 1997 | -0.2% | -12.0% |
| 1998 | -0.2% | -19.3% |
| 1999 | -0.2% | -7.2% |
| 2000 | -0.6% | +206.9% |
| 2001 | -0.6% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | -0.6% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | -0.3% | -40.8% |
| 2004 | -0.3% | -19.6% |
| 2005 | -0.1% | -55.3% |
| 2006 | -0.1% | -11.8% |
| 2007 | -0.4% | +246.1% |
| 2008 | -0.2% | -51.8% |
| 2009 | -0.1% | -21.1% |
| 2010 | -0.2% | +71.2% |
| 2011 | -0.2% | -16.6% |
| 2012 | -0.3% | +43.7% |
| 2013 | -0.4% | +27.5% |
| 2014 | -0.3% | -24.2% |
| 2015 | -0.3% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | -0.4% | +49.3% |
| 2017 | -0.4% | -17.3% |
| 2018 | -0.4% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | -0.3% | -11.9% |
| 2020 | -0.8% | +162.7% |
| 2021 | -1.1% | +38.3% |
| 2022 | -0.1% | -94.6% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -554.4% |
| 2024 | 0.0% | -85.2% |
| 2025 | -0.1% | -273.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.4% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.3% | -0.6% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.3% | -0.4% | -0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3% | -1.1% | 0.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central Europe and the Baltics
More climate change data for Central Europe and the Baltics
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 99.81 million (2025)
- Urban population 61.79 million (2025)
- Urban population 61.9% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 32.87 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 13.1% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 31.0% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 28.5% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 15.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Urban population growth in Central Europe and the Baltics was -0.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5% in 1964.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.1% in 2021.
- How does Central Europe and the Baltics rank for urban population growth?
- Central Europe and the Baltics ranks 45th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Central Europe and the Baltics?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Central Europe and the Baltics 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.