Urban population (% of total population) in Arab World
Arab World: Urban population (% of total population) was 60.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Arab World, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Arab World recorded 60.0% for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Arab World peaked at 60.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 30.9%, in 1960.
Arab World ranks 19th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population (% of total population) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.9% | — |
| 1961 | 31.7% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 32.5% | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 33.3% | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 34.1% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 34.8% | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 35.5% | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 36.1% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 36.8% | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 37.5% | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 38.2% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 38.8% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 39.5% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 40.0% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 40.6% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 41.2% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 41.7% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 42.2% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 42.7% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 43.2% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 43.7% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 44.3% | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 44.9% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 45.4% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 46.0% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 46.7% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 47.3% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 47.9% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 48.5% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 49.5% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 49.9% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 50.3% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 50.9% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 51.1% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 51.4% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 51.6% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 51.9% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 52.2% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 52.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 52.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 53.0% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 53.4% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 53.7% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 54.0% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 54.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 54.7% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 55.0% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 55.4% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 55.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 56.1% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 56.8% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 57.6% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 58.0% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 58.4% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 58.6% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 58.7% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 58.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 58.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 59.1% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 59.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 59.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 59.6% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 59.8% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 60.0% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 34.3% | 30.9% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 40.8% | 38.2% | 43.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.4% | 43.7% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.0% | 49.5% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.9% | 52.4% | 55.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.7% | 55.6% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.5% | 59.1% | 60.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 16 Malta 95.7% compare
- 17 Uruguay 95.7% compare
- 18 United States Virgin Islands 95.4% compare
- 19 Luxembourg 94.9% compare
- 20 Turks and Caicos Islands 94.4% compare
- 21 Puerto Rico 94.3% compare
- 22 Guam 94.2% compare
More climate change data for Arab World
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 302.20 million (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6004 units per person (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 36.8 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 21.92 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 22.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 230.73 billion cubic meters (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Arab World?
- Urban population in Arab World was 60.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 60.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.9% in 1960.
- How does Arab World rank for urban population?
- Arab World ranks 19th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.