Urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Urban population, per square kilometre was 235.55 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
235.55 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
33rd
of 216 countries
All-time high
235.55 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
171.03 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom is 235.55 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom peaked at 235.55 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 171.03 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
United Kingdom ranks 33rd of 216 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 171.03 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 172.09 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 172.96 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 173.64 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 174.31 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 174.85 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 175.41 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 175.94 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 176.42 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 176.97 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 177.68 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 178.43 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 179.11 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 179.69 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 180.23 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 180.78 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 181.3 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 181.83 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 182.41 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 182.89 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 183.02 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 182.91 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 182.87 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 183.02 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 183.28 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 183.53 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 183.75 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 184 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 184.36 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 184.83 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 185.38 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 186.01 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 186.75 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 187.63 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 188.64 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 189.69 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 190.78 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 191.93 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 193.13 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 194.31 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 195.45 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 196.6 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 197.81 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 199.21 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 200.84 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 202.58 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 204.42 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 206.31 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 208.17 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 210.13 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 212.15 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 214.07 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 215.95 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 218.05 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 220.13 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 222.43 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 224.21 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 225.9 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 227.68 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 228.69 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 229.75 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 232.25 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 235.55 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 235.55 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 units per square kilometre, 3.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 235.55 units per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 50.33 units per square kilometre, 4.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 174.07 units per square kilometre | 171.03 units per square kilometre | 176.42 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 179.84 units per square kilometre | 176.97 units per square kilometre | 182.41 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 183.36 units per square kilometre | 182.87 units per square kilometre | 184.36 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 188.48 units per square kilometre | 184.83 units per square kilometre | 193.13 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 200.57 units per square kilometre | 194.31 units per square kilometre | 208.17 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 219.07 units per square kilometre | 210.13 units per square kilometre | 227.68 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 231.56 units per square kilometre | 228.69 units per square kilometre | 235.55 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 30 Kuwait 272.36 units per square kilometre compare
- 31 Luxembourg 245.41 units per square kilometre compare
- 32 Mauritius 243.88 units per square kilometre compare
- 34 Haiti 229.92 units per square kilometre compare
- 35 Qatar 229.5 units per square kilometre compare
- 36 El Salvador 227.19 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom was 235.55 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 235.55 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 171.03 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does United Kingdom rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- United Kingdom ranks 33rd out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.