Social indicators

Introduction | Statistics

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Indicators on human settlements
Last updated: December 2008
Country or area
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Afghanistan
24
  
76
  
5.4
  
3.4
  
Albania
47
  
53
  
1.9
  
-0.6
  
Algeria
65
  
35
  
2.5
  
-0.3
  
American Samoa
92
  
8
  
2.4
  
-2.3
  
Andorra
89
  
11
  
-0.2
  
4.6
  
Angola
57
  
43
  
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
  
Australia (12)
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
27
  
73
  
3.5
  
1.0
  
Barbados
40
  
60
  
1.5
  
-0.5
  
Belarus
73
  
27
  
0.0
  
-2.1
  
Belgium
97
  
3
  
0.3
  
-0.9
  
Belize
52
  
48
  
3.1
  
1.0
  
Benin
41
  
59
  
4.0
  
2.3
  
Bermuda
100
  
0
  
0.3
  
0.0
  
Bhutan
35
  
65
  
4.9
  
-0.3
  
Bolivia
66
  
34
  
2.5
  
0.4
  
Bosnia and Herzegovina
47
  
53
  
1.4
  
-1.0
  
Botswana
60
  
40
  
2.5
  
-0.6
  
Brazil
86
  
14
  
1.8
  
-1.9
  
British Virgin Islands
40
  
60
  
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
10
  
90
  
6.8
  
3.6
  
Cambodia
22
  
78
  
4.6
  
1.0
  
Cameroon
57
  
43
  
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 Islands (7)
31
  
69
  
0.6
  
0.0
  
Chile
88
  
12
  
1.3
  
-1.3
  
China (4)
43
  
57
  
2.7
  
-1.0
  
China, Hong Kong SAR (5)
100
  
0
  
1.0
  
0.0
  
China, Macao SAR (6)
100
  
0
  
0.7
  
0.0
  
Colombia
74
  
26
  
1.7
  
0.1
  
Comoros (1)
28
  
72
  
2.7
  
2.4
  
Congo
61
  
39
  
2.7
  
1.1
  
Cook Islands
74
  
26
  
-0.7
  
-6.5
  
Costa Rica
63
  
37
  
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
  
Dem. People's Republic of Korea
63
  
37
  
0.9
  
-0.6
  
Democratic Republic of the Congo
34
  
66
  
5.1
  
2.3
  
Denmark
87
  
13
  
0.5
  
-1.8
  
Djibouti
87
  
13
  
2.2
  
-1.4
  
Dominica
74
  
26
  
0.2
  
-1.6
  
Dominican Republic
69
  
31
  
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
41
  
59
  
2.0
  
-0.3
  
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
92
  
8
  
1.2
  
-5.8
  
Fiji
52
  
48
  
1.6
  
-0.5
  
Finland (8)
63
  
37
  
0.8
  
-0.6
  
France
77
  
23
  
0.8
  
-0.5
  
French Guiana
76
  
24
  
2.6
  
1.8
  
French Polynesia
52
  
48
  
1.3
  
1.3
  
Gabon
85
  
15
  
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
50
  
50
  
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-Bissau
30
  
70
  
3.2
  
2.9
  
Guinea
34
  
66
  
3.5
  
1.4
  
Guyana
28
  
72
  
0.0
  
-0.3
  
Haiti
47
  
53
  
4.5
  
-1.0
  
Holy See (10)
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
29
  
71
  
2.4
  
1.1
  
Indonesia
52
  
48
  
3.3
  
-1.1
  
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
68
  
32
  
2.1
  
-0.3
  
Iraq
67
  
33
  
1.7
  
2.1
  
Ireland
61
  
39
  
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
66
  
34
  
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
31
  
69
  
5.6
  
0.1
  
Latvia
68
  
32
  
-0.5
  
-0.6
  
Lebanon
87
  
13
  
1.2
  
0.1
  
Lesotho
25
  
75
  
3.5
  
-0.3
  
Liberia
60
  
40
  
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
29
  
71
  
3.8
  
2.2
  
Malawi
19
  
81
  
5.2
  
2.0
  
Malaysia
70
  
30
  
3.0
  
-1.3
  
Maldives
38
  
62
  
5.3
  
-0.3
  
Mali
32
  
68
  
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
  
Mauritius (2)
42
  
58
  
0.9
  
0.7
  
Mexico
77
  
23
  
1.5
  
-0.2
  
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
22
  
78
  
0.8
  
0.4
  
Moldova
42
  
58
  
-1.5
  
-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
37
  
63
  
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
17
  
83
  
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
16
  
84
  
4.0
  
3.4
  
Nigeria
48
  
52
  
3.8
  
0.9
  
Niue
39
  
61
  
-0.2
  
-2.9
  
Northern Mariana Islands
91
  
9
  
2.1
  
0.7
  
Norway (9)
77
  
23
  
0.7
  
0.3
  
Occupied Palestinian Territory
72
  
28
  
3.3
  
2.8
  
Oman
72
  
28
  
2.0
  
1.8
  
Pakistan
36
  
64
  
3.0
  
1.2
  
Palau
81
  
19
  
1.8
  
-5.1
  
Panama
73
  
27
  
2.7
  
-1.3
  
Papua New Guinea
12
  
88
  
1.9
  
2.0
  
Paraguay
60
  
40
  
2.8
  
0.3
  
Peru
71
  
29
  
1.3
  
0.8
  
Philippines
65
  
35
  
3.0
  
-0.2
  
Pitcairn
0
  
100
  
0.0
  
0.0
  
Poland
61
  
39
  
-0.3
  
0.0
  
Portugal
59
  
41
  
1.4
  
-1.1
  
Puerto Rico
98
  
2
  
0.8
  
-12.7
  
Qatar
96
  
4
  
2.2
  
0.2
  
Republic of Korea
81
  
19
  
0.6
  
-0.9
  
Réunion
93
  
7
  
1.6
  
-3.5
  
Romania
54
  
46
  
-0.1
  
-0.9
  
Russian Federation
73
  
27
  
-0.5
  
-0.4
  
Rwanda
18
  
82
  
4.2
  
2.4
  
Saint Helena (3)
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
42
  
58
  
3.1
  
2.0
  
Serbia
52
  
48
  
0.5
  
-0.2
  
Seychelles
54
  
46
  
1.4
  
-0.6
  
Sierra Leone
38
  
62
  
2.9
  
1.5
  
Singapore
100
  
0
  
1.2
  
0.0
  
Slovakia
56
  
44
  
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
43
  
57
  
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
73
  
27
  
0.5
  
0.1
  
Syrian Arab Republic
54
  
46
  
3.1
  
1.8
  
Tajikistan
26
  
74
  
1.6
  
1.5
  
TFYR Macedonia (11)
67
  
33
  
0.8
  
-1.4
  
Thailand
33
  
67
  
1.7
  
0.2
  
Timor-Leste
27
  
73
  
5.0
  
2.9
  
Togo
42
  
58
  
4.3
  
1.5
  
Tokelau
0
  
100
  
0.0
  
0.0
  
Tonga
25
  
75
  
1.6
  
0.1
  
Trinidad and Tobago
13
  
87
  
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
92
  
8
  
2.2
  
-7.2
  
Tuvalu
49
  
51
  
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
25
  
75
  
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)
93
  
7
  
2.0
  
-3.4
  
Viet Nam
28
  
72
  
3.1
  
0.7
  
Wallis and Futuna Islands
0
  
100
  
0.0
  
0.7
  
Western Sahara
81
  
19
  
4.0
  
2.6
  
Yemen
31
  
69
  
4.9
  
2.1
  
Zambia
35
  
65
  
2.3
  
1.7
  
Zimbabwe
37
  
63
  
2.2
  
0.2
  

 

Sources:

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

Footnotes:

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

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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 2000-2005 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.