Kiribati - Urban population

The value for Urban population in Kiribati was 66,405 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 66,405 in 2020 and a minimum value of 6,711 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 6,711
1961 7,145
1962 7,603
1963 8,085
1964 8,588
1965 9,112
1966 9,652
1967 10,212
1968 10,790
1969 11,497
1970 12,319
1971 13,176
1972 14,067
1973 14,995
1974 15,735
1975 16,317
1976 16,923
1977 17,553
1978 18,203
1979 18,731
1980 19,143
1981 19,552
1982 19,960
1983 20,393
1984 20,884
1985 21,463
1986 22,159
1987 22,941
1988 23,769
1989 24,581
1990 25,328
1991 25,993
1992 26,583
1993 27,134
1994 27,695
1995 28,296
1996 29,499
1997 31,074
1998 32,736
1999 34,465
2000 36,259
2001 37,319
2002 37,972
2003 38,656
2004 39,396
2005 40,206
2006 41,538
2007 43,310
2008 45,139
2009 46,979
2010 48,779
2011 50,519
2012 52,203
2013 53,865
2014 55,539
2015 57,259
2016 59,021
2017 60,800
2018 62,621
2019 64,490
2020 66,405

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