Urban population growth in Greenland
Greenland: Urban population growth was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Greenland, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Greenland recorded 0.3% for urban population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of up 16.4% on the previous year and up 158.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Greenland peaked at 8.0% in 1963 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 1992.
Greenland ranks 170th of 217 countries 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 in Greenland, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.2% | — |
| 1962 | 7.4% | +18.7% |
| 1963 | 8.0% | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 7.1% | -11.7% |
| 1965 | 7.0% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 5.1% | -27.8% |
| 1967 | 4.7% | -7.1% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 4.3% | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 4.0% | -7.4% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -44.2% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | +20.6% |
| 1973 | 1.7% | -35.4% |
| 1974 | 1.3% | -26.5% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -62.7% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | +13.8% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -120.6% |
| 1978 | -0.1% | -24.3% |
| 1979 | 1.7% | -2087.4% |
| 1980 | 1.9% | +16.2% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -30.9% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +14.8% |
| 1984 | 1.8% | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 1.6% | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -18.0% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | +16.5% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 1.2% | -19.9% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | -27.5% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -91.4% |
| 1992 | -0.2% | -387.7% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -114.1% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | +3138.0% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -8.9% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -78.0% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +25.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -75.7% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | +782.1% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | +50.8% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -16.8% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -14.6% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -57.8% |
| 2006 | -0.1% | -142.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -145.5% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +134.8% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +169.7% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +225.7% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -69.4% |
| 2013 | -0.0% | -102.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -466.6% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | +372.4% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +212.8% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -50.4% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -28.5% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +487.2% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -21.3% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +45.9% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -61.5% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | +110.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -63.4% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | +16.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.0% | 4.3% | 8.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | -0.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | -0.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | -0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | -0.0% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
- 167 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.3% compare
- 168 France 0.3% compare
- 169 French Polynesia 0.3% compare
- 171 Curaçao 0.2% compare
- 172 Nepal 0.2% compare
- 173 Antigua and Barbuda 0.2% compare
More climate change data for Greenland
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 0.8215 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 0.8215 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0031 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that leaches) 0.0005 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 44,462 kg (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) 0.8215 kt (2050)
- Share co2 vs population 0.0004 (2100)
- All Crops — Crops total 0.0031 kt (2050)
- Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions 0.0031 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that) 0.0002 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Greenland?
- Urban population growth in Greenland was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 8.0% in 1963.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 1992.
- How does Greenland rank for urban population growth?
- Greenland ranks 170th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 158.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Greenland 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.