Urban population growth (annual %) in Latvia
Latvia: Urban population growth was -0.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Latvia, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Latvia recorded -0.8% for urban population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Latvia peaked at 2.6% in 1961 and was at its lowest, -2.4%, in 1993.
Latvia ranks 213th of 218 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 Latvia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.6% | — |
| 1962 | 2.4% | -8.6% |
| 1963 | 2.3% | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 2.3% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 2.0% | -10.7% |
| 1966 | 1.6% | -18.7% |
| 1967 | 1.7% | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 1.9% | +11.5% |
| 1969 | 1.7% | -6.0% |
| 1970 | 1.6% | -6.9% |
| 1971 | 1.7% | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | +6.5% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -7.8% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -13.4% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -7.7% |
| 1978 | 1.2% | -11.1% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -23.7% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -11.6% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +15.0% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 1.1% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | +6.7% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | +9.4% |
| 1988 | 1.2% | -9.5% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -56.3% |
| 1990 | -0.3% | -157.9% |
| 1991 | -0.8% | +160.3% |
| 1992 | -1.8% | +132.5% |
| 1993 | -2.4% | +37.8% |
| 1994 | -2.2% | -10.5% |
| 1995 | -1.9% | -10.8% |
| 1996 | -1.6% | -16.4% |
| 1997 | -1.4% | -11.1% |
| 1998 | -1.3% | -9.5% |
| 1999 | -1.1% | -18.7% |
| 2000 | -1.1% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | -1.3% | +25.3% |
| 2002 | -1.2% | -9.7% |
| 2003 | -1.0% | -16.5% |
| 2004 | -1.1% | +11.8% |
| 2005 | -1.1% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | -0.9% | -15.1% |
| 2007 | -0.8% | -11.2% |
| 2008 | -1.1% | +27.2% |
| 2009 | -1.7% | +55.4% |
| 2010 | -2.1% | +25.5% |
| 2011 | -1.8% | -12.8% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | -32.4% |
| 2013 | -1.1% | -14.7% |
| 2014 | -0.9% | -13.3% |
| 2015 | -0.8% | -14.6% |
| 2016 | -0.9% | +11.1% |
| 2017 | -0.8% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | -0.7% | -13.9% |
| 2019 | -0.6% | -12.8% |
| 2020 | -0.6% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | -0.8% | +21.7% |
| 2022 | -0.2% | -78.9% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | -337.0% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | -299.3% |
| 2025 | -0.8% | +2.1% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's -0.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%. (85 countries reporting)
- Latvia's -0.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5%. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth in Latvia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +337.0% | -0.2% | 0.4% |
| 2024 | -299.3% | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | -160.3% | -0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | -157.9% | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | -132.5% | -0.8% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.1% | 1.6% | 2.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.5% | -2.4% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -1.7% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.1% | -2.1% | -0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -0.8% | 0.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More climate change data for Latvia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 43.09 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,340 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 263.83 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,077 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.9956 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 38.45 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342.8 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 336.47 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 6.33 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 1.27 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Latvia?
- Urban population growth in Latvia was -0.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.4% in 1993.
- How does Latvia rank for urban population growth?
- Latvia ranks 213th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latvia 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.