Urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Urban population was 56.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 56.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 56.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 29.7%, in 1960.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 22nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 29.7% | — |
| 1961 | 30.3% | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 31.0% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 31.6% | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 32.2% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 32.8% | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 33.3% | +1.6% |
| 1967 | 33.9% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 34.5% | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 35.0% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 35.6% | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 36.2% | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 36.8% | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 37.4% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 38.0% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 38.5% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 39.0% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 39.6% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 40.1% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 40.7% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 41.3% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 41.9% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 42.6% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 43.1% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 43.6% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 44.0% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 44.5% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 44.9% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 45.3% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 45.7% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 46.0% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 46.2% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 46.6% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 46.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 47.0% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 47.3% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 47.5% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 47.8% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 48.1% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 48.4% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 48.7% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 49.0% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 49.3% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 49.5% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 49.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 50.1% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 50.4% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 51.0% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 51.3% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 51.5% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 52.3% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 52.9% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 53.3% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 53.9% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 54.1% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 54.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 54.4% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 54.8% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 55.1% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 55.4% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 55.7% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 56.0% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.4% | 29.7% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 38.2% | 35.6% | 40.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.7% | 41.3% | 45.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.2% | 46.0% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.0% | 48.7% | 51.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.2% | 51.5% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.3% | 54.7% | 56.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 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
- 24 Jordan 93.2% compare
- 25 Argentina 92.4% compare
More climate change data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Urban population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.5596 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 463.33 million (2025)
- Population, total 828.02 million (2025)
- Population growth 1.8% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 34.99 units per square kilometre (2023)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Urban population in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 56.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.7% in 1960.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for urban population?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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
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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.