American Samoa - Urban population

The value for Urban population in American Samoa was 48,106 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 52,640 in 2004 and a minimum value of 13,326 in 1960.

Definition: 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.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

See also:

Year Value
1960 13,326
1961 13,731
1962 14,249
1963 14,868
1964 15,519
1965 16,178
1966 16,825
1967 17,453
1968 18,075
1969 18,683
1970 19,258
1971 19,807
1972 20,332
1973 20,831
1974 21,299
1975 21,739
1976 22,153
1977 22,546
1978 22,977
1979 23,522
1980 24,267
1981 25,287
1982 26,487
1983 27,830
1984 29,258
1985 30,732
1986 32,237
1987 33,782
1988 35,326
1989 36,836
1990 38,330
1991 39,864
1992 41,312
1993 42,684
1994 44,016
1995 45,333
1996 46,643
1997 47,921
1998 49,139
1999 50,278
2000 51,217
2001 51,764
2002 52,221
2003 52,532
2004 52,640
2005 52,470
2006 52,016
2007 51,305
2008 50,476
2009 49,702
2010 49,126
2011 48,787
2012 48,666
2013 48,668
2014 48,699
2015 48,684
2016 48,603
2017 48,481
2018 48,336
2019 48,203
2020 48,106

Development Relevance: Explosive growth of cities globally signifies the demographic transition from rural to urban, and is associated with shifts from an agriculture-based economy to mass industry, technology, and service. In principle, cities offer a more favorable setting for the resolution of social and environmental problems than rural areas. Cities generate jobs and income, and deliver education, health care and other services. Cities also present opportunities for social mobilization and women's empowerment.

Limitations and Exceptions: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries. Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries. Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers. Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population. Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Density & urbanization