This statistic represents the 30 countries with the lowest degree of urbanization in 2018. In 2018, 13 percent of the population of Burundi were living in urban areas.

In the year 1500, the share of Western Europe's population living in urban areas was just six percent, but this rose to 31 percent by the end of the 19th century. Despite this drastic change, development was quite slow between 1500 and 1800, and it was not until the industrial revolution when there was a spike in urbanization. As Britain was the first region to undergo the industrial revolution, from around the 1760s until the 1840s, these areas were the most urbanized in Europe by 1890. The Low Countries Prior to the 19th century, Belgium and the Netherlands had been the most urbanized regions due to the legacy of their proto-industrial areas in the medieval period, and then the growth of their port cities during the Netherlands' empirical expansion (Belgium was a part of the Netherlands until the 1830s). Belgium was also quick to industrialize in the 1800s, and saw faster development than its larger, more economically powerful neighbors, France and Germany. Least-urban areas Ireland was the only Western European region with virtually no urbanization in the 16th and 17th century, but the industrial growth of Belfast and Dublin (then major port cities of the British Empire) saw this change by the late-1800s. The region of Scandinavia was the least-urbanized area in Western Europe by 1890, but it saw rapid economic growth in Europe during the first half of the following century.

This statistic shows a forecast of the top thirty most urbanized countries in the world in 2018. As of 2018, 100 percent of Singapore's population lived in urban areas.

In 2023, Gabon had the highest urbanization rate in Africa, with over 90 percent of the population living in urban areas. Libya and Djibouti followed at around 82 percent and 79 percent, respectively. On the other hand, many countries on the continent had the majority of the population residing in rural areas. As of 2023, urbanization in Malawi, Rwanda, Niger, and Burundi was below 20 percent. A growing urban population On average, the African urbanization rate stood at approximately 45 percent in 2023. The number of people living in urban areas has been growing steadily since 2000 and is forecast to increase further in the coming years. The urbanization process is being particularly rapid in Burundi, Uganda, Niger, and Tanzania. In these countries, the urban population grew by over 4.2 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year. The most populous cities in Africa Africa’s largest city is Lagos in Nigeria, counting around nine million people. It is followed by Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cairo in Egypt, each with over seven million inhabitants. Moreover, other cities on the continent are growing rapidly. The population of Bujumbura in Burundi will increase by 123 percent between 2020 and 2035, registering the highest growth rate on the continent. Other fast-growing cities are Zinder in Niger, Kampala in Uganda, and Kabinda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the Arab world (Arab League) countries in 2022. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. In 2022, 75.27 percent of the total population of Algeria lived in urban areas.

In 2023, Belarus had the highest degree of urbanization among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, with over 80 percent of the population residing in cities and towns. Closely following was Russia, where the share of urban population stood at approximately 75 percent. To compare, less than 29 percent of the population of Tajikistan lived in urban areas.

It is estimated that Europe had an urbanization rate of approximately 8.5 percent in the year 1800. The Netherlands and Belgium were some of the most heavily urbanized regions, due the growth of port cities such as Rotterdam and Antwerp during Netherlands' empirical expansion, and the legacy of urbanization in the region, which stems from its wool and craft industries in medieval times. Additionally, the decline of their agricultural sectors and smaller territories contributed to a lower rural population. Scotland and England had also become more urban throughout the British Empire's growth, although the agricultural revolution of the previous two centuries, along with the first industrial revolution, then led to more rapid urbanization during the 19th century. In contrast, there was a large imbalance between the east and west of the continent; the two largest empires, Austria and Russia, had the lowest levels of urbanization in Europe in 1800, due to their vast territories, lower maritime presence, and lack of industrial development.

The statistic shows the degree of urbanization in OECD countries in 2018. In 2018, Belgium had the highest degree of urbanization among OECD countries with 98 percent of the population residing in urban areas.

Macao, Singapore, and Hong Kong all had completely urban populations in 2023, with one hundred percent of the respective territory's populations living in urban areas. Contrastingly, just around 13.7 percent of Papua New Guinea’s population were living in urban areas in 2023. APAC’s rural population Despite the increasing development of new industries across the Asia-Pacific region, many countries across the region still had predominantly rural populations. However, with the agriculture sector displaying little growth throughout the Asia Pacific region, the rural populations throughout the region have also experienced little growth or have even declined. This was likely due to citizens migrating from rural to urban areas. Growing urbanization  With the emergence of new economies and an increasing focus on industrialization throughout the Asia Pacific region, citizens have flocked to the cities and urban areas in hopes of better employment and salary opportunities. The migration of citizens has naturally resulted in bigger urban populations and has catalyzed the emergence of megacities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Urbanization is expected to grow throughout the coming years, with urban populations in the ASEAN region forecasted to grow by 2025.

In 2022, roughly 43 percent of Bhutan's population resided in urban areas. Comparatively, approximately 19 percent of Sri Lanka's population lived in urban areas in 2022.

Urbanization in the APAC region

The Asia-Pacific region is currently experiencing a significant trend towards urbanization, with a growing number of individuals relocating from rural areas to urban centers in pursuit of improved economic prospects. From 2015 to 2020, there was an increase in the urban population throughout Asia. The projection for the region indicates a continuation of urbanization, although at a decelerated rate. As of 2021, a third of the entire population of India resided in urban areas. The data shows a notable upsurge in urbanization in India over the past ten years, indicating a shift of the populace from rural to urban centers in search of employment opportunities and livelihood.

 Population of megacities in APAC 

The APAC region is home to some of the world's most populous megacities. According to recent data, in 2023, the annual metropolitan population growth rate of China surpassed that of other megacities in the APAC region. In contrast to other cities, the three megacities in Japan, namely Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, exhibited the lowest annual population growth rates. That same year, the APAC region was home to 28 megacities, more than ten of which were in China. India, Japan, and Pakistan also had more than once megacity each as of January 2023.

In 2025, the degree of urbanization worldwide was at 58 percent. North America as well as Latin America and the Caribbean were the regions with the highest level of urbanization, with over four-fifths of the population residing in urban areas. The degree of urbanization defines the share of the population living in areas that are defined as "cities". On the other hand, less than half of Africa's population lives in urban settlements. Globally, China accounts for over one-quarter of the built-up areas of more than 500,000 inhabitants. The definition of a city differs across various world regions - some countries count settlements with 100 houses or more as urban, while others only include the capital of a country or provincial capitals in their count. Largest agglomerations worldwideThough North America is the most urbanized continent, no U.S. city was among the top ten urban agglomerations worldwide in 2023. Tokyo-Yokohama in Japan was the largest urban area in the world that year, with 37.7 million inhabitants. New York ranked 13th, with 21.4 million inhabitants. Eight of the 10 most populous cities are located in Asia. ConnectivityIt may be hard to imagine how the reality will look in 2050, with 70 percent of the global population living in cities, but some statistics illustrate the ways urban living differs from suburban and rural living. American urbanites may lead more “connected” (i.e. internet-connected) lives than their rural and/or suburban counterparts. As of 2021, around 89 percent of people living in urban areas owned a smartphone. Internet usage was also higher in cities than in rural areas. On the other hand, rural areas always have, and always will attract those who want to escape the rush of the city.

This statistic shows the percentage of the total population living in urban areas worldwide from 1950 to 2050, by regional development level. By 2050, more developed regions of the world will have 86.6 percent of their populations living in urban areas.

In 2023, China's cities made up one fourth of the global land area consisted of built-up urban areas with populations of 500,000 and more. India's urban areas made up more than 10 percent of the land area classified as large urban cities worldwide.

In the year 1800, approximately five percent of the world's population lived in urban areas of 10,000 people or more. At this time, the world's population was just under one billion people, and the industrial revolution was in its early stages in Western Europe and North America. As industrialization spread across the world, urbanization rates rose accordingly. In 2021, the global urbanization rate was approximately 56 percent.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the MENA countries in 2023. MENA stands for Middle East and North Africa. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. In 2023, 75.27 percent of the total population of Algeria lived in urban areas.

In 2020, about 82.66 percent of the total population in the United States lived in cities and urban areas. As the United States was one of the earliest nations to industrialize, it has had a comparatively high rate of urbanization over the past two centuries. The urban population became larger than the rural population during the 1910s, and by the middle of the century it is expected that almost 90 percent of the population will live in an urban setting. Regional development of urbanization in the U.S. The United States began to urbanize on a larger scale in the 1830s, as technological advancements reduced the labor demand in agriculture, and as European migration began to rise. One major difference between early urbanization in the U.S. and other industrializing economies, such as the UK or Germany, was population distribution. Throughout the 1800s, the Northeastern U.S. became the most industrious and urban region of the country, as this was the main point of arrival for migrants. Disparities in industrialization and urbanization was a key contributor to the Union's victory in the Civil War, not only due to population sizes, but also through production capabilities and transport infrastructure. The Northeast's population reached an urban majority in the 1870s, whereas this did not occur in the South until the 1950s. As more people moved westward in the late 1800s, not only did their population growth increase, but the share of the urban population also rose, with an urban majority established in both the West and Midwest regions in the 1910s. The West would eventually become the most urbanized region in the 1960s, and over 90 percent of the West's population is urbanized today. Urbanization today New York City is the most populous city in the United States, with a population of 8.3 million, while California has the largest urban population of any state. California also has the highest urbanization rate, although the District of Columbia is considered 100 percent urban. Only four U.S. states still have a rural majority, these are Maine, Mississippi, Montana, and West Virginia.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the ASEAN countries in Asia from 2013 to 2023. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In 2023, 25.57 percent of the total population of Cambodia lived in urban areas.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the DACH countries from 2013 to 2023. The DACH region includes Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. In 2023, 59.53 percent of the total population of Austria lived in urban areas.

This statistic shows a forecast of the top ten most urbanized countries in the world in 2050. By 2050, 98.9 percent of Belgium's population is forecasted to live in an urban area.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the Maghreb countries in North Africa from 2013 to 2023. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. In 2023, 75.27 percent of the total population of Algeria lived in urban areas.