Urban population in IBRD only
IBRD only: Urban population was 58.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in IBRD only, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in IBRD only is 58.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in IBRD only peaked at 58.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 1962.
That places IBRD only 20th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in IBRD only, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 27.1% | — |
| 1961 | 27.3% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 26.9% | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 27.0% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 27.8% | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 28.0% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 28.2% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 28.4% | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 28.7% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 28.9% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 29.1% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 29.3% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 29.6% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 30.0% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 30.3% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 30.7% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 31.1% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 31.5% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 32.0% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 32.7% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 33.2% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 33.8% | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 34.2% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 34.8% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 35.6% | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 36.1% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 37.1% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 37.5% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 37.9% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 38.1% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 38.5% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 38.9% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 39.3% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 39.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 40.1% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 40.8% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 41.5% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 42.2% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 42.9% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 43.7% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 44.3% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 45.0% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 45.7% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 46.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 46.9% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 47.6% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 48.9% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 49.6% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 50.1% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 51.1% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 52.5% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 53.2% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 53.9% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 54.6% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 55.2% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 55.9% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 56.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 56.9% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 57.4% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 57.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 58.0% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 58.3% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 58.6% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.8% | 26.9% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 30.6% | 29.1% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.7% | 33.2% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.2% | 38.1% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.6% | 43.7% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.5% | 50.1% | 56.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.8% | 56.9% | 58.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near IBRD only
- 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
- 23 Iceland 94.2% compare
More climate change data for IBRD only
- Urban population growth 1.1% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.5474 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.5865 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 2.94 billion (2025)
- Population, total 5.01 billion (2025)
- Population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 40.6 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in IBRD only?
- Urban population in IBRD only was 58.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in IBRD only?
- The highest recorded value was 58.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in IBRD only?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 1962.
- How does IBRD only rank for urban population?
- IBRD only ranks 20th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in IBRD only?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this IBRD only 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.