High income - Urban population

The value for Urban population in High income was 994,850,400 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 994,850,400 in 2020 and a minimum value of 482,762,800 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 482,762,800
1961 492,711,900
1962 502,937,600
1963 513,354,300
1964 523,808,300
1965 534,111,000
1966 544,029,800
1967 553,831,800
1968 563,517,200
1969 573,135,000
1970 582,649,900
1971 592,932,800
1972 602,139,200
1973 611,154,200
1974 620,101,200
1975 628,811,800
1976 636,654,700
1977 644,408,700
1978 652,284,200
1979 660,449,300
1980 668,524,000
1981 676,860,200
1982 684,559,200
1983 691,785,500
1984 698,662,500
1985 705,550,100
1986 712,890,100
1987 720,579,300
1988 728,290,500
1989 736,059,700
1990 744,336,800
1991 753,395,000
1992 760,221,600
1993 768,793,100
1994 777,016,100
1995 786,521,000
1996 794,391,100
1997 802,038,300
1998 809,570,800
1999 817,077,200
2000 824,514,900
2001 833,540,000
2002 843,358,000
2003 852,892,600
2004 862,667,800
2005 872,515,200
2006 882,656,100
2007 893,016,400
2008 903,802,000
2009 913,710,100
2010 922,891,600
2011 929,636,200
2012 937,127,700
2013 944,633,700
2014 952,302,200
2015 959,913,000
2016 967,555,400
2017 974,615,200
2018 981,369,200
2019 987,687,500
2020 994,850,400

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