Urban population in Small states
Small states: Urban population was 10.60 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population in Small states, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Small states recorded 10.60 million for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Small states peaked at 10.60 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.96 million, in 1960.
Small states ranks 44th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Urban population in Small states, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.96 million | — |
| 1961 | 3.07 million | +3.7% |
| 1962 | 3.19 million | +4.1% |
| 1963 | 3.32 million | +4.0% |
| 1964 | 3.45 million | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 3.59 million | +3.8% |
| 1966 | 3.71 million | +3.6% |
| 1967 | 3.84 million | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 3.97 million | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 4.09 million | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 4.21 million | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 4.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 4.46 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 4.59 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 4.73 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 4.88 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 5.02 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 5.16 million | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 5.30 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 5.43 million | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 5.56 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 5.68 million | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 5.81 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 5.94 million | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 6.06 million | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 6.20 million | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 6.35 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 6.49 million | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 6.63 million | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 6.78 million | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 6.92 million | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 7.06 million | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 7.13 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 7.18 million | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 7.26 million | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 7.33 million | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 7.41 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 7.51 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 7.61 million | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 7.69 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 7.78 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 7.90 million | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 8.02 million | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 8.12 million | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 8.21 million | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 8.27 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 8.36 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 8.47 million | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 8.58 million | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 8.68 million | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 8.78 million | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 8.88 million | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 8.99 million | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 9.09 million | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 9.20 million | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 9.32 million | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 9.44 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 9.57 million | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 9.71 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 9.85 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 9.97 million | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 10.09 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 10.23 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 10.37 million | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 10.49 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 10.60 million | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.52 million | 2.96 million | 4.09 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.81 million | 4.21 million | 5.43 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.15 million | 5.56 million | 6.78 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.31 million | 6.92 million | 7.69 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.24 million | 7.78 million | 8.68 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.28 million | 8.78 million | 9.85 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.29 million | 9.97 million | 10.60 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Small states
More climate change data for Small states
- Urban population growth 1.1% (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 0.7611 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.521 units per person (2025)
- Population, total 20.35 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 13.79 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 26.64 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Small states?
- Urban population in Small states was 10.60 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 10.60 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.96 million in 1960.
- How does Small states rank for urban population?
- Small states ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Small states 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.