Urban population growth (annual %) in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): Urban population growth (annual %) was 3.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) is 3.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 5.6% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2023.
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 2nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.9% | — |
| 1962 | 5.0% | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 5.2% | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 5.3% | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 5.4% | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 5.5% | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 5.5% | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 5.5% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 5.5% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 5.6% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 5.5% | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 5.3% | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 5.2% | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 5.0% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 4.9% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 4.1% | -7.5% |
| 1982 | 4.3% | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 4.6% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 4.6% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 4.8% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 4.6% | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 4.6% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 4.3% | -4.4% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 4.4% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 3.9% | -7.4% |
| 1997 | 3.8% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.9% | -2.2% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 3.9% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 3.8% | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 4.1% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 4.2% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 3.8% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 3.8% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
More climate change data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 3.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3833 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 369.96 million (2025)
- Population, total 965.15 million (2025)
- Population growth 2.6% (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 47.21 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 17.65 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Urban population growth in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 3.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 1971.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2023.
- How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for urban population growth?
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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.
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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.