Social indicators

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Indicators on human settlements
Last update: December 2009
 
Country or area
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Afghanistan
24
76
5.4
3.4
Albania
47
53
1.9
-0.6
Algeria
66
34
2.5
-0.3
American Samoa
93
7
2.4
-2.3
Andorra
88
12
-0.2
4.6
Angola
58
42
4.4
0.7
Anguilla
100
0
1.4
0.0
Antigua and Barbuda
30
70
0.9
1.3
Argentina
92
8
1.2
-1.5
Armenia
64
36
-0.3
0.0
Aruba
47
53
0.1
-0.1
Australia1
89
11
1.2
-0.6
Austria
67
33
0.7
-0.3
Azerbaijan
52
48
1.0
0.5
Bahamas
84
16
1.4
0.0
Bahrain
89
11
1.8
1.4
Bangladesh
28
72
3.5
1.0
Barbados
40
60
1.5
-0.5
Belarus
74
26
0.0
-2.1
Belgium
97
3
0.3
-0.9
Belize
52
48
3.1
1.0
Benin
42
58
4.0
2.3
Bermuda
100
0
0.3
0.0
Bhutan
36
64
4.9
-0.3
Bolivia
66
34
2.5
0.4
Bosnia and Herzegovina
48
52
1.4
-1.0
Botswana
60
40
2.5
-0.6
Brazil
86
14
1.8
-1.9
British Virgin Islands
41
59
1.7
0.8
Brunei Darussalam
75
25
2.6
0.4
Bulgaria
71
29
-0.3
-1.7
Burkina Faso
20
80
5.0
2.4
Burundi
11
89
6.8
3.6
Cambodia
22
78
4.6
1.0
Cameroon
58
42
3.5
0.1
Canada
80
20
1.0
0.4
Cape Verde
60
40
3.5
0.4
Cayman Islands
100
0
1.5
0.0
Central African Republic
39
61
2.3
1.5
Chad
27
73
4.7
2.2
Channel Islands2
31
69
0.6
0.0
Chile
89
11
1.3
-1.3
China3
44
56
2.7
-1.0
China, Hong Kong SAR4
100
0
1.0
0.0
China, Macao SAR5
100
0
0.7
0.0
Colombia
75
25
1.7
0.1
Comoros6
28
72
2.7
2.4
Congo
62
38
2.7
1.1
Cook Islands
75
25
-0.7
-6.5
Costa Rica
64
36
2.3
0.1
Côte d'Ivoire
49
51
3.2
0.6
Croatia
57
43
0.4
-0.7
Cuba
76
24
0.0
-0.1
Cyprus
70
30
1.3
0.4
Czech Republic
73
27
0.0
0.0
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
63
37
0.9
-0.6
Democratic Republic of the Congo
35
65
5.1
2.3
Denmark
87
13
0.5
-1.8
Djibouti
88
12
2.2
-1.4
Dominica
74
26
0.2
-1.6
Dominican Republic
70
30
2.6
-0.9
Ecuador
66
34
2.1
-0.9
Egypt
43
57
1.8
1.7
El Salvador
61
39
1.9
0.6
Equatorial Guinea
39
61
2.8
2.1
Eritrea
21
79
5.4
2.7
Estonia
69
31
-0.3
-0.4
Ethiopia
17
83
4.3
2.2
Faeroe Islands
42
58
2.0
-0.3
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
92
8
1.2
-5.8
Fiji
53
47
1.6
-0.5
Finland7
64
36
0.8
-0.6
France
78
22
0.8
-0.5
French Guiana
76
24
2.6
1.8
French Polynesia
52
48
1.3
1.3
Gabon
86
14
2.1
-1.7
Gambia
57
43
4.2
0.7
Georgia
53
47
-0.6
-1.0
Germany
74
26
0.1
-0.4
Ghana
51
49
3.5
0.5
Gibraltar
100
0
0.1
0.0
Greece
61
39
0.6
-0.3
Greenland
84
16
0.9
-0.8
Grenada
31
69
0.3
-0.1
Guadeloupe
98
2
0.7
1.2
Guam
93
7
1.3
1.1
Guatemala
49
51
3.4
1.6
Guinea
35
65
3.5
1.4
Guinea-Bissau
30
70
3.2
2.9
Guyana
28
72
0.0
-0.3
Haiti
48
52
4.5
-1.0
Holy See8
100
0
0.1
0.0
Honduras
48
52
2.9
1.0
Hungary
68
32
0.3
-1.5
Iceland
92
8
0.8
0.7
India
30
70
2.4
1.1
Indonesia
53
47
3.3
-1.1
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
69
31
2.1
-0.3
Iraq
66
34
1.7
2.1
Ireland
62
38
2.2
1.0
Isle of Man
51
49
-0.2
0.3
Israel
92
8
1.7
1.4
Italy
68
32
0.4
-0.3
Jamaica
53
47
0.9
0.1
Japan
67
33
0.2
-0.5
Jordan
78
22
3.1
2.8
Kazakhstan
58
42
1.2
0.0
Kenya
22
78
4.0
2.3
Kiribati
44
56
1.8
1.4
Kuwait
98
2
2.5
1.3
Kyrgyzstan
36
64
1.6
0.8
Lao People's Democratic Republic
32
68
5.6
0.1
Latvia
68
32
-0.5
-0.6
Lebanon
87
13
1.2
0.1
Lesotho
26
74
3.5
-0.3
Liberia
61
39
5.6
2.8
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
78
22
2.2
1.2
Liechtenstein
14
86
0.5
1.0
Lithuania
67
33
-0.4
-0.8
Luxembourg
82
18
1.0
1.8
Madagascar
30
70
3.8
2.2
Malawi
19
81
5.2
2.0
Malaysia
71
29
3.0
-1.3
Maldives
39
61
5.3
-0.3
Mali
33
67
4.8
2.2
Malta
94
6
0.6
-3.1
Marshall Islands
71
29
2.7
1.0
Martinique
98
2
0.3
-0.8
Mauritania
41
59
3.0
2.2
Mauritius9
42
58
0.9
0.7
Mexico
78
22
1.5
-0.2
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
23
77
0.8
0.4
Monaco
100
0
0.3
0.0
Mongolia
57
43
1.2
0.6
Montenegro
60
40
-0.8
0.6
Montserrat
14
86
2.2
1.0
Morocco
56
44
1.8
0.4
Mozambique
38
62
4.1
0.7
Myanmar
33
67
2.9
-0.1
Namibia
37
63
2.9
0.4
Nauru
100
0
0.3
0.0
Nepal
18
82
4.9
1.4
Netherlands
82
18
0.9
-2.7
Netherlands Antilles
93
7
1.6
-2.1
New Caledonia
65
35
2.1
0.5
New Zealand
87
13
1.0
0.1
Nicaragua
57
43
1.8
0.7
Niger
17
83
4.0
3.4
Nigeria
49
51
3.8
0.9
Niue
39
61
-0.2
-2.9
Northern Mariana Islands
91
9
2.1
0.7
Norway10
78
22
0.7
0.3
Occupied Palestinian Territory
72
28
3.3
2.8
Oman
72
28
2.0
1.8
Pakistan
37
63
3.0
1.2
Palau
82
18
1.8
-5.1
Panama
74
26
2.7
-1.3
Papua New Guinea
12
88
1.9
2.0
Paraguay
61
39
2.8
0.3
Peru
72
28
1.3
0.8
Philippines
66
34
3.0
-0.2
Pitcairn
0
100
0.0
0.0
Poland
61
39
-0.3
0.0
Portugal
60
40
1.4
-1.1
Puerto Rico
99
1
0.8
-12.7
Qatar
96
4
2.2
0.2
Republic of Korea
82
18
0.6
-0.9
Republic of Moldova
41
59
-1.5
-0.4
Réunion
94
6
1.6
-3.5
Romania
54
46
-0.1
-0.9
Russian Federation
73
27
-0.5
-0.4
Rwanda
19
81
4.2
2.4
Saint Helena11
39
61
1.5
1.0
Saint Kitts and Nevis
32
68
1.4
1.2
Saint Lucia
28
72
1.4
1.0
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
89
11
0.1
-0.4
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
47
53
1.3
-0.2
Samoa
23
77
1.7
0.6
San Marino
94
6
0.9
-0.1
São Tomé and Príncipe
61
39
3.0
-0.5
Saudi Arabia
82
18
2.5
1.1
Senegal
43
57
3.1
2.0
Serbia
52
48
0.5
-0.2
Seychelles
55
45
1.4
-0.6
Sierra Leone
38
62
2.9
1.5
Singapore
100
0
1.2
0.0
Slovakia
57
43
0.2
-0.2
Slovenia
48
52
-0.6
0.6
Solomon Islands
18
82
4.1
1.9
Somalia
37
63
4.2
2.2
South Africa
61
39
1.4
-0.7
Spain
77
23
0.9
0.2
Sri Lanka
15
85
0.5
0.5
Sudan
44
56
4.3
0.7
Suriname
75
25
1.0
-0.8
Swaziland
25
75
1.7
0.3
Sweden
85
15
0.5
0.0
Switzerland
74
26
0.5
0.1
Syrian Arab Republic
55
45
3.1
1.8
Tajikistan
26
74
1.6
1.5
TFYR Macedonia12
67
33
0.8
-1.4
Thailand
34
66
1.7
0.2
Timor-Leste
28
72
5.0
2.9
Togo
43
57
4.3
1.5
Tokelau
0
100
0.0
0.0
Tonga
25
75
1.6
0.1
Trinidad and Tobago
14
86
2.9
0.0
Tunisia
67
33
1.7
-0.1
Turkey
69
31
1.9
-0.2
Turkmenistan
49
51
2.2
0.5
Turks and Caicos Islands
93
7
2.2
-7.2
Tuvalu
50
50
1.3
-0.5
Uganda
13
87
4.4
3.1
Ukraine
68
32
-0.7
-1.0
United Arab Emirates
78
22
2.9
2.5
United Kingdom
90
10
0.5
-0.4
United Republic of Tanzania
26
74
4.2
1.9
United States of America
82
18
1.3
-0.7
United States Virgin Islands
95
5
0.2
-4.1
Uruguay
92
8
0.4
-1.2
Uzbekistan
37
63
1.6
1.4
Vanuatu
25
75
4.1
1.8
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
94
6
2.0
-3.4
Viet Nam
28
72
3.1
0.7
Wallis and Futuna Islands
0
100
0.0
0.7
Western Sahara
82
18
4.0
2.6
Yemen
31
69
4.9
2.1
Zambia
36
64
2.3
1.7
Zimbabwe
38
62
2.2
0.2

Sources:

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2008), World Urbanization Prospects: The 2007 Revision. CD-ROM Edition – Data in digital form (POP/DB/WUP/Rev. 2007).

Footnotes:

…
 Not available.
1
 Including Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island.
2
 Refers to Guernsey and Jersey.
3
 For statistical purposes, the data for China do not include Hong Kong and Macao, Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of China.
4
 As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.
5
 As of 20 December 1999, Macao became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China.
6
 Including Mayotte.
7
 Including Åland Islands.
8
 Refers to the Vatican City State.
9
 Including Agalega, Rodrigues and Saint Brandon.
10
 Including Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands.
11
 Including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
12
 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

 

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Technical notes:

The population distribution refers to the percentage of the total population in urban and rural areas, respectively. The estimates presented refer to the population as of 1 July of the given year. The annual rates of urban and rural population change are an average for the five-year period 2005-2010 and refer to the rate at which the rural and urban populations are increasing or decreasing (negative sign) on average in each year within the five-year period, expressed as a percentage of the base population.

The urban-rural classification of population in internationally published statistics follows the national census definition, which differs from one country or area to another. National definitions are usually based on criteria that may include any of the following: size of population in a locality, population density, distance between built-up areas, predominant type of economic activity, legal or administrative boundaries and urban characteristics, such as specific services and facilities.

Estimates and projections of urban and rural populations are made by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat and published every two years. These estimates and projections are based on national census or survey data that have been evaluated and, whenever necessary, adjusted for deficiencies and inconsistencies.