Urban population growth (annual %) in Qatar
Qatar: Urban population growth (annual %) was 4.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Qatar, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Qatar is 4.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.2% on the previous year and down 54.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Qatar peaked at 22.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -10.9%, in 2021.
Qatar ranks 22nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Qatar, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.3% | — |
| 1962 | 14.1% | +14.5% |
| 1963 | 14.2% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 14.0% | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 13.6% | -2.7% |
| 1966 | 13.5% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 13.4% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 13.2% | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 12.7% | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 13.1% | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 11.7% | -10.2% |
| 1973 | 10.7% | -9.1% |
| 1974 | 9.8% | -8.1% |
| 1975 | 9.1% | -7.1% |
| 1976 | 8.6% | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 8.1% | -5.0% |
| 1978 | 7.8% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 7.6% | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 7.4% | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 7.5% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 7.5% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 7.4% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 7.0% | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 6.4% | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 5.4% | -16.6% |
| 1987 | 4.5% | -16.2% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 3.8% | -3.2% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 3.6% | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 4.3% | +35.7% |
| 1998 | 5.6% | +30.3% |
| 1999 | 5.6% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 5.2% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | -16.6% |
| 2005 | 6.8% | +69.5% |
| 2006 | 16.7% | +146.7% |
| 2007 | 22.0% | +31.5% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | -23.3% |
| 2009 | 12.2% | -27.6% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -94.7% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +868.8% |
| 2013 | 10.8% | +80.9% |
| 2014 | 11.6% | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 8.6% | -26.0% |
| 2016 | 5.5% | -35.6% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -49.9% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | -49.4% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | +60.9% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | +154.8% |
| 2021 | -10.9% | -288.7% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | -154.6% |
| 2023 | -0.0% | -100.2% |
| 2024 | 7.4% | -80651.6% |
| 2025 | 4.0% | -46.2% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's 4.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 6.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Qatar's 4.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.9%, 2.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Qatar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +80651.6% | -0.0% | 7.4% |
| 2012 | +868.8% | 0.6% | 6.0% |
| 2021 | -288.7% | 5.8% | -10.9% |
| 2020 | +154.8% | 2.3% | 5.8% |
| 2022 | +154.6% | -10.9% | 5.9% |
| 2006 | +146.7% | 6.8% | 16.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.4% | 12.3% | 14.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.0% | 7.6% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | 4.1% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.0% | 3.1% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.9% | 4.0% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.0% | 0.6% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | -10.9% | 7.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More climate change data for Qatar
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 639,640 kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 127.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 53.42 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 74.17 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.2016 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.65 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 3.98 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3.98 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 0.0084 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.015 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Qatar?
- Urban population growth in Qatar was 4.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was 22.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.9% in 2021.
- How does Qatar rank for urban population growth?
- Qatar ranks 22nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Qatar 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.