Urban population in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Urban population was 36.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Least developed countries, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Least developed countries stood at 36.6%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Least developed countries peaked at 36.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 9.4%, in 1960.
Least developed countries ranks 42nd 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 Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.4% | — |
| 1961 | 9.6% | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 9.9% | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 10.1% | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 10.4% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 10.7% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 11.0% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 11.3% | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 11.7% | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 12.1% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 12.5% | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 13.0% | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 13.6% | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 14.0% | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 14.2% | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 14.4% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 15.0% | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 15.6% | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 16.1% | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 16.7% | +3.7% |
| 1980 | 17.3% | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 17.7% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 18.2% | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 18.6% | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 19.0% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 19.4% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 19.8% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 20.7% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 21.2% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 21.6% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 22.0% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 22.4% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 22.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 23.1% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 23.5% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 23.8% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 24.2% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 24.5% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 24.9% | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 25.3% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 25.7% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 26.1% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 26.6% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 27.0% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 27.5% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 28.5% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 29.0% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 29.9% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 30.4% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 30.8% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 31.6% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 32.1% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 32.6% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 33.0% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 34.0% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 34.4% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 34.8% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 35.3% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 35.7% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 36.2% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 36.6% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.6% | 9.4% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.5% | 12.5% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.2% | 17.3% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.3% | 21.6% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.3% | 25.3% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.9% | 29.9% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 34.4% | 36.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 39 Brazil 88.2% compare
- 40 Libya 87.9% compare
- 41 Australia 87.7% compare
- 42 Belgium 87.7% compare
- 43 Palestine, State of 87.4% compare
- 44 United Arab Emirates 86.0% compare
- 45 Switzerland 85.7% compare
More climate change data for Least developed countries
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Population, total 1.21 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Urban population 444.81 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 13.7% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 198.48 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 4.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 15.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 11.2% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 4.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Least developed countries?
- Urban population in Least developed countries was 36.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.4% in 1960.
- How does Least developed countries rank for urban population?
- Least developed countries ranks 42nd out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed 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.
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.