Urban population (% of total population) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Urban population (% of total population) was 35.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 35.8%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 35.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 1960.
That places South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 45th out of 47 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 (% of total population) in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 16.3% | — |
| 1961 | 16.4% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 16.5% | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 16.7% | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 16.9% | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 17.0% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 17.2% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 17.4% | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 17.9% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 18.1% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 18.4% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 18.7% | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 19.1% | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 19.5% | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 19.9% | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 20.4% | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 20.9% | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 21.5% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 21.9% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 22.3% | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 22.9% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 23.2% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 23.4% | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 23.9% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 24.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 24.3% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 24.5% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 24.7% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 24.9% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 25.2% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 25.4% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 25.6% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 25.8% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 26.0% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 26.3% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 26.5% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 26.8% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 27.0% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 27.3% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 27.7% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 28.0% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 28.4% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 29.2% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 29.7% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 30.5% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 31.0% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 31.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 31.7% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 32.0% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 32.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 32.6% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 33.0% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 33.3% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 33.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 33.9% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 34.2% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 34.5% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 35.1% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 35.5% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 35.8% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.0% | 16.3% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.8% | 18.1% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.5% | 22.3% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.7% | 24.7% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.7% | 27.0% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.5% | 31.0% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.0% | 34.2% | 35.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- 42 Belgium 87.7% compare
- 43 Palestine 87.4% compare
- 44 United Arab Emirates 86.0% compare
- 45 Switzerland 85.7% compare
- 46 Peru 85.6% compare
- 47 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 48 New Zealand 84.0% compare
More climate change data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.8865 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 605.70 million (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3579 units per person (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 496.76 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 174.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 16.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 706.16 billion cubic meters (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Urban population in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 35.8% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 35.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 1960.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for urban population?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.