Urban population in Bhutan
Bhutan: Urban population was 43.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Bhutan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Bhutan is 43.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Bhutan peaked at 43.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1960.
Bhutan ranks 167th of 217 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.5% | — |
| 1961 | 2.5% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 3.0% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +11.0% |
| 1972 | 4.1% | +16.6% |
| 1973 | 4.9% | +18.7% |
| 1974 | 5.8% | +18.7% |
| 1975 | 6.8% | +17.6% |
| 1976 | 7.9% | +16.0% |
| 1977 | 9.0% | +14.2% |
| 1978 | 10.1% | +12.4% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 12.2% | +8.9% |
| 1981 | 13.0% | +7.2% |
| 1982 | 13.9% | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 14.7% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 15.5% | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 16.3% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 17.1% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 17.9% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 18.6% | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 19.4% | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 20.2% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 21.0% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 21.7% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 22.5% | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 23.3% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 24.0% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 24.7% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 25.5% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 26.2% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 26.9% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 27.6% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 28.3% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 29.0% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 29.6% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 30.3% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 30.9% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 31.6% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 32.2% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 32.8% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 33.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 33.9% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 34.5% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 35.0% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 35.6% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 36.1% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 36.7% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 37.3% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 37.9% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 38.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 39.1% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 39.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 40.3% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 40.9% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 41.7% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 43.4% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.6% | 3.2% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.8% | 12.2% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.6% | 20.2% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.6% | 27.6% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.4% | 33.9% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 39.7% | 43.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More climate change data for Bhutan
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 581.26 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 78.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 503.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.2952 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17.97 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 129 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 40.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 88.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1518 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.17 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Bhutan?
- Urban population in Bhutan was 43.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1960.
- How does Bhutan rank for urban population?
- Bhutan ranks 167th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.