Urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya
Kenya: Urban population, per square kilometre was 30.14 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya stood at 30.14 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya peaked at 30.14 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.18 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Kenya 147th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.18 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.26 units per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1963 | 1.34 units per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1964 | 1.41 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 1.5 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 1.58 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1967 | 1.67 units per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1968 | 1.78 units per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1969 | 1.89 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 1970 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1971 | 2.19 units per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 2.39 units per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1973 | 2.62 units per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 2.87 units per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1975 | 3.13 units per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 1976 | 3.4 units per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 3.67 units per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1978 | 3.95 units per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 4.21 units per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 4.46 units per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1981 | 4.71 units per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 4.98 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 5.26 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1984 | 5.54 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 5.83 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 6.13 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1987 | 6.42 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 6.72 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 7.02 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 7.32 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 7.6 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 7.87 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 8.14 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 8.41 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 8.69 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 8.97 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 9.26 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 9.58 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 9.94 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 10.47 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 11.36 units per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 2002 | 12.53 units per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 13.93 units per square kilometre | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 15.5 units per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 2005 | 17.15 units per square kilometre | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 18.79 units per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 20.33 units per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 21.65 units per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 22.62 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 23.29 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 23.94 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 24.57 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 25.16 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 25.73 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 26.17 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 26.59 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 26.98 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 27.32 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 27.59 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 28.05 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 28.67 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 29.36 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 30.14 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.51 units per square kilometre | 1.18 units per square kilometre | 1.89 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.05 units per square kilometre | 2.03 units per square kilometre | 4.21 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.71 units per square kilometre | 4.46 units per square kilometre | 7.02 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.58 units per square kilometre | 7.32 units per square kilometre | 9.94 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.43 units per square kilometre | 10.47 units per square kilometre | 22.62 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.73 units per square kilometre | 23.29 units per square kilometre | 27.59 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.05 units per square kilometre | 28.05 units per square kilometre | 30.14 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 144 Tonga 30.72 units per square kilometre compare
- 145 Palau 30.5 units per square kilometre compare
- 146 Montenegro 30.35 units per square kilometre compare
- 148 Fiji 29.64 units per square kilometre compare
- 149 United States of America 29.48 units per square kilometre compare
- 150 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 28.64 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for Kenya
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 276.34 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 50,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,186 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,454 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 61.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,231 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,372 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 255.67 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.99 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in Kenya was 30.14 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 30.14 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.18 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Kenya rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- Kenya ranks 147th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Urban population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.