Urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Urban population was 531.01 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) is 531.01 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 531.01 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 101.39 million, in 1960.
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 24th of 45 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 Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 101.39 million | — |
| 1961 | 105.81 million | +4.4% |
| 1962 | 110.43 million | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 115.25 million | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 120.25 million | +4.3% |
| 1965 | 125.42 million | +4.3% |
| 1966 | 130.78 million | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 136.31 million | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 141.99 million | +4.2% |
| 1969 | 147.83 million | +4.1% |
| 1970 | 153.79 million | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 160.01 million | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 166.51 million | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 173.29 million | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 180.31 million | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 187.53 million | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 194.89 million | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 202.40 million | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 210.00 million | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 217.59 million | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 225.09 million | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 232.49 million | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 239.89 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 247.36 million | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 254.89 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 262.44 million | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 270.01 million | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 277.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 285.24 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 292.90 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 300.62 million | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 308.35 million | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 316.08 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 323.78 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 331.49 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 339.32 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 347.31 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 355.54 million | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 364.01 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 372.44 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 380.48 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 388.10 million | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 395.48 million | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 402.59 million | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 409.45 million | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 416.05 million | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 422.49 million | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 428.88 million | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 435.24 million | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 441.52 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 447.71 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 453.87 million | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 460.05 million | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 466.25 million | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 472.44 million | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 478.58 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 484.64 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 490.56 million | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 496.17 million | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 501.65 million | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 506.68 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 511.03 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 515.50 million | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 520.60 million | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 525.83 million | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 531.01 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 123.55 million | 101.39 million | 147.83 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 184.63 million | 153.79 million | 217.59 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 258.79 million | 225.09 million | 292.90 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 335.89 million | 300.62 million | 372.44 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 412.03 million | 380.48 million | 441.52 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 475.19 million | 447.71 million | 501.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 518.44 million | 506.68 million | 531.01 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
More climate change data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population growth 0.7% (2025)
- Population, total 651.47 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Urban population 81.5% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 39.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 346.2 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 2.5% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 24.5% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 24.2% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 23.8% (2025)
All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Urban population in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 531.01 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 531.01 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 101.39 million in 1960.
- How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for urban population?
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 24th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban 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. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.