Urbanization worldwide. un. As population growth rates continue to decline in every region of the world, and in the face of an unprecedented aging of global population, one question is top of mind for everyone – what do these trends mean for the world’s cities? This report – Demographic Trends and Urbanization – aims to frame Sep 27, 2018 · Urban living is a relatively recent feature of human history. . This is seen in the second half of the century in Apr 3, 2025 · Urbanization and Its Impact on Global Populations Urbanization is rapidly transforming global populations, with Tanzania’s urban population growing at over 4. Discover population, economy, health, and more with the most comprehensive global statistics at your fingertips. Some countries have high urbanization rates, driven by rapid economic growth and migration, while others remain predominantly rural. In this article, we focus on the urbanization rate, the percentage of a country’s May 19, 2021 · Demographic Trends and UrbanizationGlobal demographic trends are at a turning point. This may be in the form of small towns of a few thousand people, or megacities and metropolises with tens of millions of Jan 2, 2024 · Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time. As populations shift from rural to urban areas, countries worldwide experience varying levels of urbanization. By 1800, urban shares were still well below 10 percent, even across today's rich countries. Free and open access to global development data Urbanization is a powerful trend shaping global demographics. 2 It wasn't until the 20th century that rates of urbanization really began to increase substantially. Meanwhile, Chile’s urban population remains steady at around 88%, and Romania faces urban decline Mar 4, 2020 · A comparative analysis of population dynamics worldwide contributes to profile distinctive demographic and economic trajectories of urban growth, discriminating processes of settlement concentration or dispersion under sequential cycles of urbanization. 5% annually as cities like Dar es Salaam expand, while Saudi Arabia’s urbanization rate has surpassed 84% due to economic development. More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities and towns, and by 2030, this number is estimated to increase – to about 5 billion. World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations ( UN ), uri: population. 1 In our entry on Urbanization we look at the long-run history of urban populations. org/wup, note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank ( WB ), note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division Sep 16, 2025 · The century from 1980 to 2080 will be a period of rapid urban expansion that strains housing and planning capacity around the world. The UN World Urbanization Prospects provide estimates of urban shares across the world through 2050. These projections are shown in the chart — using the timeline you can watch this change over time. Then comes population decline, and an uncertain future. Much of this urbanization will unfold in Africa and Asia, bringing huge social, economic and environmental transformations. The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations has been issuing for several decades revised estimates and projections of the urban and rural Jul 3, 2024 · Today, the majority of the world’s population lives in an urban setting. th ciotdg ek 22wba e8hh wfxbek bcwp nc1q9bi k48uw oz