Urban population (% of total population) in Tanzania
Tanzania: Urban population (% of total population) was 36.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Tanzania, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 36.9% for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Tanzania peaked at 36.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1960.
That places Tanzania 181st out of 218 countries 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.9% | — |
| 1961 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 5.0% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 5.0% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 5.2% | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 5.6% | +8.1% |
| 1970 | 6.3% | +11.5% |
| 1971 | 7.1% | +13.1% |
| 1972 | 8.0% | +13.4% |
| 1973 | 9.1% | +12.8% |
| 1974 | 10.1% | +11.7% |
| 1975 | 11.2% | +10.3% |
| 1976 | 12.1% | +8.7% |
| 1977 | 13.0% | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 13.7% | +5.3% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 15.3% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 15.7% | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 16.2% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 17.0% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 17.4% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 17.8% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 18.2% | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 18.6% | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 19.3% | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 19.6% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 19.9% | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 20.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 20.5% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 20.8% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 21.1% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 21.5% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 21.8% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 22.6% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 23.5% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 24.1% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 24.7% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 25.4% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 26.1% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 26.8% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 28.2% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 29.5% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 30.1% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 30.6% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 31.2% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 31.8% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 32.3% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 33.3% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 33.9% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 34.4% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 35.5% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 36.2% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 36.9% | +2.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 36.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 36.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 82% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.0% | 4.9% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.5% | 6.3% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 14.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.4% | 18.9% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.6% | 22.2% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 28.2% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.3% | 33.9% | 36.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More climate change data for Tanzania
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.6683 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.3295 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.5126 °C (2026)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 2.6% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 4.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3688 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -140.91 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Tanzania?
- Urban population in Tanzania was 36.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 36.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1960.
- How does Tanzania rank for urban population?
- Tanzania ranks 181st out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.