Urban population growth in Spain
Spain: Urban population growth was 1.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Spain, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Spain is 1.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 1,580.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Spain peaked at 3.0% in 1967 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2013.
Spain ranks 107th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Spain, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.1% | — |
| 1962 | 2.3% | +9.6% |
| 1963 | 2.5% | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 2.8% | +9.9% |
| 1965 | 2.9% | +5.5% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | -17.3% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -6.6% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -8.4% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -3.0% |
| 1977 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 1.7% | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | -6.8% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | -7.2% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | -8.7% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | -10.9% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -12.5% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -10.3% |
| 1985 | 0.8% | -9.4% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | -11.7% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | -10.1% |
| 1988 | 0.6% | -12.4% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -15.6% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -18.5% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +29.1% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +39.3% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | -9.2% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | -7.9% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +10.5% |
| 2001 | 0.9% | +43.7% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | +84.5% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | +27.1% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | +7.8% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -12.2% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | -37.9% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -38.3% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -21.1% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -56.4% |
| 2013 | -0.2% | -172.0% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | -24.5% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -154.8% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | +193.6% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | +67.7% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | +51.2% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +43.5% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -27.9% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | -50.6% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | +221.7% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | +49.7% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -10.1% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | +2.0% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 1.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 2.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Spain's 1.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.5%, 2.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth in Spain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +221.7% | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| 2016 | +193.6% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2013 | -172.0% | 0.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | +154.8% | -0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2002 | +84.5% | 0.9% | 1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.1% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 0.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3% | -0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.3% | 1.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 104 South Africa 1.3% compare
- 105 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 1.3% compare
- 106 Portugal 1.3% compare
- 108 Switzerland 1.3% compare
- 109 Fiji 1.3% compare
- 110 Israel 1.2% compare
More climate change data for Spain
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 944.68 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 31,851 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,475 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 24,376 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 28.21 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 870.55 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 8,160 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 6,530 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,630 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 24.64 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Spain?
- Urban population growth in Spain was 1.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 1967.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2013.
- How does Spain rank for urban population growth?
- Spain ranks 107th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,580.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain 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.