Urban population in Pacific island small states
Pacific island small states: Urban population was 40.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Pacific island small states, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Pacific island small states recorded 40.9% for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Pacific island small states peaked at 40.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 19.5%, in 1960.
That places Pacific island small states 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in Pacific island small states, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 19.5% | — |
| 1961 | 20.5% | +5.0% |
| 1962 | 21.4% | +4.6% |
| 1963 | 22.3% | +4.1% |
| 1964 | 23.1% | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 23.8% | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 24.4% | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 24.9% | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 25.4% | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 25.9% | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 26.3% | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 26.7% | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 27.0% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 27.2% | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 27.4% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 27.6% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 27.9% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 28.1% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 28.3% | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 28.5% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 28.6% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 28.8% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 29.0% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 29.2% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 29.4% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 29.6% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 29.9% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 30.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 30.5% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 30.9% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 31.3% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 31.7% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 32.1% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 32.5% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 32.9% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 33.2% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 33.5% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 33.7% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 34.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 34.2% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 34.4% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 34.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 34.9% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 35.1% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 35.3% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 35.6% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 35.8% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 36.1% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 36.5% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 36.8% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 37.1% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 37.3% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 37.5% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 37.7% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 38.2% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 38.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 38.8% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 39.0% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 39.3% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 39.5% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 39.7% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 39.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 40.6% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 40.9% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.1% | 19.5% | 25.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.5% | 26.3% | 28.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.6% | 28.6% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 31.3% | 34.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.5% | 34.4% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.1% | 37.1% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.1% | 39.5% | 40.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pacific island small states
More climate change data for Pacific island small states
- Population growth 1.2% (2025)
- Population, total 2.76 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.0% (2025)
- Urban population 1.13 million (2025)
- Terrestrial protected areas 4.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 7.1% (2025)
- CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 3.2 1=low to 6=high (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Pacific island small states?
- Urban population in Pacific island small states was 40.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Pacific island small states?
- The highest recorded value was 40.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Pacific island small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.5% in 1960.
- How does Pacific island small states rank for urban population?
- Pacific island small states ranks 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Pacific island small states?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pacific island small states 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.