American Samoa - Urban population (% of total population)

Urban population (% of total population) in American Samoa was 87.15 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 60 years was 88.59 in 2000, while its lowest value was 66.21 in 1960.

Definition: 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.

Source: United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

See also:

Year Value
1960 66.21
1961 66.64
1962 67.07
1963 67.49
1964 67.92
1965 68.33
1966 68.75
1967 69.16
1968 69.57
1969 69.98
1970 70.38
1971 70.78
1972 71.18
1973 71.58
1974 71.97
1975 72.35
1976 72.74
1977 73.12
1978 73.50
1979 73.87
1980 74.33
1981 75.04
1982 75.74
1983 76.43
1984 77.10
1985 77.76
1986 78.41
1987 79.04
1988 79.66
1989 80.26
1990 80.95
1991 81.89
1992 82.79
1993 83.65
1994 84.49
1995 85.28
1996 86.04
1997 86.77
1998 87.47
1999 88.13
2000 88.59
2001 88.49
2002 88.39
2003 88.30
2004 88.20
2005 88.10
2006 88.00
2007 87.90
2008 87.80
2009 87.70
2010 87.59
2011 87.50
2012 87.42
2013 87.35
2014 87.29
2015 87.24
2016 87.20
2017 87.17
2018 87.15
2019 87.15
2020 87.15

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. Percentages urban are the numbers of persons residing in an area defined as ''urban'' per 100 total population. They are calculated by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Particular caution should be used in interpreting the figures for percentage urban for different countries. 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: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Density & urbanization