Urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): Urban population was 38.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) is 38.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 38.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1960.
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 40th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 12.3% | — |
| 1961 | 12.6% | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 12.9% | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 13.3% | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 13.6% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 14.0% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 14.4% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 14.9% | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 15.3% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 15.7% | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 16.2% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 16.6% | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 17.6% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 18.1% | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 18.6% | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 19.0% | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 19.5% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 19.9% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 20.3% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 20.7% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 21.1% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 21.5% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 21.9% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 22.3% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 22.7% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 23.1% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 23.6% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 24.0% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 24.5% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 24.9% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 25.3% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 25.7% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 26.0% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 26.4% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 26.7% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 27.0% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 27.3% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 27.6% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 27.9% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 28.3% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 28.6% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 28.9% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 29.2% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 29.5% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 29.9% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 30.2% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 30.5% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 31.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 31.4% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 31.8% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 32.2% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 33.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 34.3% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 34.7% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 35.2% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 36.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 36.5% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 36.9% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 37.4% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 37.9% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 38.3% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.9% | 12.3% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.3% | 16.2% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.5% | 20.7% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.5% | 24.9% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 28.3% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.7% | 31.8% | 35.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.2% | 36.0% | 38.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
More climate change data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
- Population growth 2.6% (2025)
- Population, total 965.15 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.8% (2025)
- Urban population 369.96 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 14.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 112.66 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 2.8% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 17.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 13.9% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 1.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Urban population in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 38.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The highest recorded value was 38.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1960.
- How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for urban population?
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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.