Urban population growth (annual %) in Russia
Russia: Urban population growth (annual %) was 0.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Russia, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Russia is 0.1%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 14.3% on the previous year and down 81.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Russia peaked at 2.9% in 1961 and was at its lowest, -0.6%, in 1999.
Russia ranks 180th 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 (annual %) in Russia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.9% | — |
| 1962 | 2.5% | -13.5% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +3.7% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | -3.3% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | -5.8% |
| 1966 | 2.0% | -14.9% |
| 1967 | 2.0% | -2.8% |
| 1968 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 2.0% | +4.5% |
| 1970 | 1.9% | -6.8% |
| 1971 | 1.6% | -13.7% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | +23.7% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -5.3% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -6.5% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -13.1% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | -5.6% |
| 1981 | 1.4% | -6.1% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | -10.8% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -9.7% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -9.9% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -63.0% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -25.3% |
| 1992 | -0.3% | -222.6% |
| 1993 | -0.5% | +42.2% |
| 1994 | -0.2% | -64.0% |
| 1995 | -0.0% | -73.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0% | -160.2% |
| 1997 | -0.1% | -423.3% |
| 1998 | -0.1% | -32.6% |
| 1999 | -0.6% | +893.9% |
| 2000 | -0.2% | -74.4% |
| 2001 | -0.3% | +104.5% |
| 2002 | -0.4% | +15.4% |
| 2003 | -0.3% | -19.8% |
| 2004 | -0.5% | +79.3% |
| 2005 | -0.6% | +7.8% |
| 2006 | -0.2% | -63.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -110.3% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | +295.3% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +152.5% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +55.5% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +12.4% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -6.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -19.1% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -40.6% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -23.1% |
| 2020 | -0.0% | -133.8% |
| 2021 | -0.3% | +450.9% |
| 2022 | -0.2% | -18.9% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -45.7% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | -156.6% |
| 2025 | 0.1% | +14.3% |
Russia compared with similar countries
- Russia's 0.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 12% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Russia's 0.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5%, 14% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Russia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -893.9% | -0.1% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | -450.9% | -0.0% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | -423.3% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | +295.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1992 | -222.6% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | +160.2% | -0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.6% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2% | -0.6% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1% | -0.3% | 0.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Russia
- 177 Dominica 0.1% compare
- 178 Kosovo 0.1% compare
- 178 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 0.1% compare
- 181 Italy 0.0% compare
- 182 Montenegro 0.0% compare
- 183 Channel Islands 0.0% compare
More climate change data for Russia
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 84,904 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 18,247 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 66,658 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 68.86 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 18,764 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,121 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,643 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 60.84 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 94.39 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Russia?
- Urban population growth in Russia was 0.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Russia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Russia?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6% in 1999.
- How does Russia rank for urban population growth?
- Russia ranks 180th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Russia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Russia 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.