Urban population growth (annual %) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Urban population growth (annual %) was 1.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population growth in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 1.8%.
The figure is down 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 4.9% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2022.
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 20th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population growth (annual %) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.1% | — |
| 1962 | 3.2% | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 3.3% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 3.4% | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 3.4% | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 3.3% | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 3.4% | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 3.6% | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 3.6% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 3.8% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 4.2% | +10.3% |
| 1974 | 4.5% | +6.2% |
| 1975 | 4.7% | +5.6% |
| 1976 | 4.9% | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 4.9% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 4.5% | -4.2% |
| 1980 | 4.2% | -5.8% |
| 1981 | 3.8% | -9.6% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | -6.1% |
| 1983 | 3.5% | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 3.4% | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +7.1% |
| 2024 | 1.8% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 1.8% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.3% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- 17 Mauritania 4.2% compare
- 18 Papua New Guinea 4.1% compare
- 19 Angola 4.1% compare
- 20 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.0% compare
- 21 Oman 4.0% compare
- 22 Qatar 4.0% compare
- 23 Benin 3.9% compare
More climate change data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3579 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 605.70 million (2025)
- Population, total 1.69 billion (2025)
- Population growth 0.9% (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.8865 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 496.76 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 174.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Urban population growth in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 1.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 4.9% in 1977.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2022.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for urban population growth?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 20th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.