Urban population (% of total population) in Uganda
Uganda: Urban population (% of total population) was 31.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Uganda, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Uganda recorded 31.9% for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Uganda peaked at 31.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 1960.
That places Uganda 193rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population (% of total population) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.4% | — |
| 1961 | 4.5% | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 4.8% | +4.5% |
| 1963 | 5.0% | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 5.2% | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 5.4% | +4.3% |
| 1966 | 5.6% | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 5.8% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 6.0% | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 6.1% | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 6.2% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 6.2% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 6.3% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 6.4% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 6.4% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 6.5% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 6.5% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 6.6% | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 6.8% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 6.9% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 7.1% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 7.4% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 7.7% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 8.1% | +4.4% |
| 1986 | 8.4% | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 9.1% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 9.8% | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 10.0% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 10.4% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 10.6% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 10.7% | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 10.9% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 11.0% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 11.2% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 11.6% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 11.9% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 12.2% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 13.8% | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 14.6% | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 15.5% | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 16.5% | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 17.6% | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 20.1% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 21.4% | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 22.7% | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 24.2% | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 25.0% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 26.4% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 27.1% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 27.8% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 28.5% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 29.2% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 29.9% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 30.6% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 31.3% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 31.9% | +2.1% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 31.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 92% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 31.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 71% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.3% | 4.4% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.4% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.0% | 6.8% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.6% | 9.8% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.9% | 11.6% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.9% | 18.8% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.3% | 28.5% | 31.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 190 Channel Islands 32.6% compare
- 191 Mali 32.2% compare
- 192 Kenya 32.2% compare
- 194 Saint Kitts and Nevis 31.9% compare
- 195 Solomon Islands 31.3% compare
- 196 Rwanda 30.9% compare
More climate change data for Uganda
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 22.78 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 27,987 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 10,431 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 17,556 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 39.36 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 627.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,448 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 756.87 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 691.37 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.86 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Uganda?
- Urban population in Uganda was 31.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 31.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 1960.
- How does Uganda rank for urban population?
- Uganda ranks 193rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda 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.