In 2025, the degree of urbanization worldwide was at 58 percent. North America, 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 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 share of the population living in urban areas worldwide from 1950 to 2050, by development status determined by income level. High-income countries are projected to have **** percent of their populations living in urban areas by 2050.

United States US: Urban Population data was reported at 267,278,643.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 264,746,567.000 Person for 2016. United States US: Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 184,283,180.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 267,278,643.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 126,462,473.000 Person in 1960. United States US: Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. 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.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Sum;

CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Fujian data was reported at 71.800 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 71.040 % for 2023. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Fujian data is updated yearly, averaging 59.320 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 71.800 % in 2024 and a record low of 41.960 % in 2000. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Fujian data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Urbanization Rate.

CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Zhejiang data was reported at 75.500 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 74.230 % for 2023. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Zhejiang data is updated yearly, averaging 62.910 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75.500 % in 2024 and a record low of 48.700 % in 2000. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Zhejiang data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Urbanization Rate.

2007 marked the first year where more of the world's population lived in an urban setting than a rural setting. In 1960, roughly a third of the world lived in an urban setting; it is expected that this figure will reach two thirds by 2050. Urbanization is a fairly new phenomenon; for the vast majority of human history, fewer than five percent of the world lived in urban areas, due to the dependency on subsistence agriculture. Advancements in agricultural practices and technology then coincided with the beginning of the industrial revolution in Europe in the late 19th century, which resulted in waves of urbanization to meet the demands of emerging manufacturing industries. This trend was replicated across the rest of the world as it industrialized over the following two centuries, and the most significant increase coincided with the industrialization of the most populous countries in Asia. In more developed economies, urbanization remains high even as economies de-industrialize, due to a variety of factors such as housing availability, labor demands in service industries, and social trends.

CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Hubei data was reported at 66.350 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 65.470 % for 2023. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Hubei data is updated yearly, averaging 26.810 % from Dec 1949 (Median) to 2024, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.350 % in 2024 and a record low of 8.790 % in 1949. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Hubei data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Urbanization Rate.

This statistic shows the number of people living in urban areas worldwide from 1950 to 2050. By 2050, roughly 1.49 billion people in Africa will be living in urban areas.

CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Anhui data was reported at 62.570 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 61.510 % for 2023. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Anhui data is updated yearly, averaging 50.140 % from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2024, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62.570 % in 2024 and a record low of 35.460 % in 2005. CN: Population: Usual Residence: Urbanization Rate: Anhui data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Urbanization Rate.

In 2024, 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 particularly rapid in Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania. In these countries, the urban population grew by over five percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, in 39 countries on the continent, the urban population growth was over three percent. 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.

United States US: Urban Population Growth data was reported at 0.952 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.968 % for 2016. United States US: Urban Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 1.152 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.449 % in 1960 and a record low of 0.927 % in 1974. United States US: Urban Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. 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.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

In 2024, approximately 67 percent of the total population in China lived in cities. The urbanization rate has increased steadily in China over the last decades. Degree of urbanization in China Urbanization is generally defined as a process of people migrating from rural to urban areas, during which towns and cities are formed and increase in size. Even though urbanization is not exclusively a modern phenomenon, industrialization and modernization did accelerate its progress. As shown in the statistic at hand, the degree of urbanization of China, the world's second-largest economy, rose from 36 percent in 2000 to around 51 percent in 2011. That year, the urban population surpassed the number of rural residents for the first time in the country's history.The urbanization rate varies greatly in different parts of China. While urbanization is lesser advanced in western or central China, in most coastal regions in eastern China more than two-thirds of the population lives already in cities. Among the ten largest Chinese cities in 2021, six were located in coastal regions in East and South China. Urbanization in international comparison Brazil and Russia, two other BRIC countries, display a much higher degree of urbanization than China. On the other hand, in India, the country with the worlds’ largest population, a mere 36.3 percent of the population lived in urban regions as of 2023. Similar to other parts of the world, the progress of urbanization in China is closely linked to modernization. From 2000 to 2024, the contribution of agriculture to the gross domestic product in China shrank from 14.7 percent to 6.8 percent. Even more evident was the decrease of workforce in agriculture.

In 2024, ** percent of the total population of Cambodia lived in urban areas, compared to *** percent of Singapore's population.

BE: Urban Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 98.189 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.153 % for 2022. BE: Urban Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 96.501 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.189 % in 2023 and a record low of 92.460 % in 1960. BE: Urban Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.;United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.;Weighted average;

United States US: Rural Population Growth data was reported at -0.374 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of -0.313 % for 2016. United States US: Rural Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 0.083 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.223 % in 1971 and a record low of -0.554 % in 1999. United States US: Rural Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Germany DE: Urban Population data was reported at 64,762,692.000 Person in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 65,067,459.000 Person for 2022. Germany DE: Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 58,885,793.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 65,067,459.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 51,978,188.000 Person in 1960. Germany DE: Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Germany – Table DE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. 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.;World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.;Sum;

CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jiangxi: Jingdezhen data was reported at 49.420 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.400 % for 2021. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jiangxi: Jingdezhen data is updated yearly, averaging 49.400 % from Dec 2019 (Median) to 2022, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.420 % in 2022 and a record low of 49.170 % in 2019. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jiangxi: Jingdezhen data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Jingdezhen Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Urbanization Rate.

CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jilin: Liaoyuan data was reported at 49.520 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 49.930 % for 2021. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jilin: Liaoyuan data is updated yearly, averaging 50.075 % from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2022, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.550 % in 2017 and a record low of 48.460 % in 2015. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Jilin: Liaoyuan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Liaoyuan Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Urbanization Rate.

Vietnam VN: Urban Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 35.213 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 34.510 % for 2016. Vietnam VN: Urban Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 19.822 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 35.213 % in 2017 and a record low of 14.700 % in 1960. Vietnam VN: Urban Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Guangxi: Yulin data was reported at 34.446 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 34.308 % for 2021. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Guangxi: Yulin data is updated yearly, averaging 33.737 % from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2022, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.446 % in 2022 and a record low of 33.430 % in 2015. CN: Population: Household Registration: Urbanization Rate: Guangxi: Yulin data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Yulin Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Urbanization Rate.