Urban population (% of total population) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Urban population (% of total population) was 69.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 69.2%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 69.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 44.4%, in 1960.
That places Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population (% of total population) in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 44.4% | — |
| 1961 | 45.2% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 45.8% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 46.5% | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 47.2% | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 47.8% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 48.5% | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 49.2% | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 49.9% | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 50.6% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 51.4% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 52.0% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 52.8% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 53.6% | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 54.3% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 55.0% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 55.7% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 56.2% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 57.3% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 57.8% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 58.3% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 58.8% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 59.3% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 59.7% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 60.1% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 60.5% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 60.9% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 61.3% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 61.7% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 61.8% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 62.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 62.0% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 62.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 62.1% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 62.2% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 62.3% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 62.4% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 62.5% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 62.7% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 62.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 63.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 63.4% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 63.5% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 63.7% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 63.9% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 64.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 64.7% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 65.1% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 65.6% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 67.4% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 68.1% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 68.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 68.4% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 68.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 68.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 68.9% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 69.0% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 69.1% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 69.2% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 47.5% | 44.4% | 50.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.5% | 51.4% | 57.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 59.8% | 57.8% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.1% | 61.8% | 62.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.5% | 62.7% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.1% | 64.7% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.0% | 68.8% | 69.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 13 Qatar 99.4% compare
- 14 San Marino 97.2% compare
More climate change data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 319.88 million (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6915 units per person (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 19.95 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 13.76 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 22.0% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 300.46 billion cubic meters (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Urban population in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 69.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.4% in 1960.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for urban population?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.