Urban population growth (annual %) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Urban population growth (annual %) was 0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 0.7%.
The figure is up 48.3% on the previous year and down 54.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 3.3% in 1961 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 2023.
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 37th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.3% | — |
| 1962 | 2.8% | -13.4% |
| 1963 | 2.9% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | -4.5% |
| 1966 | 2.6% | -8.5% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 2.6% | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 2.4% | -7.6% |
| 1971 | 2.3% | -5.5% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | +11.7% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 2.5% | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | -5.6% |
| 1976 | 2.3% | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | -7.0% |
| 1978 | 2.1% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | -6.7% |
| 1980 | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 1.8% | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 1.8% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 1.8% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | -6.1% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -12.4% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -32.4% |
| 1991 | 0.7% | -22.8% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -45.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -28.0% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -17.0% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -13.5% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -67.9% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | +331.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -28.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +68.9% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -22.5% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -12.5% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | +78.1% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -11.4% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | +64.8% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +17.3% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +22.1% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | +26.6% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | +40.4% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | -20.9% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -44.6% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -32.8% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +21.0% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -46.7% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | -39.5% |
| 2022 | -0.4% | -283.5% |
| 2023 | -0.4% | +8.3% |
| 2024 | 0.5% | -204.8% |
| 2025 | 0.7% | +48.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +331.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | -283.5% | 0.2% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | +204.8% | -0.4% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | -0.4% | 0.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
More climate change data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6915 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 319.88 million (2025)
- Population, total 462.56 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.6% (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 19.95 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 13.76 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Urban population growth in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 0.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 2023.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for urban population growth?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.