Mauritania - Urban population

The value for Urban population in Mauritania was 2,572,517 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 2,572,517 in 2020 and a minimum value of 58,506 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 58,506
1961 65,100
1962 72,415
1963 80,531
1964 89,527
1965 99,478
1966 110,490
1967 122,665
1968 136,092
1969 150,822
1970 167,016
1971 184,764
1972 204,202
1973 225,384
1974 248,515
1975 273,690
1976 301,083
1977 329,176
1978 357,837
1979 388,631
1980 421,690
1981 457,069
1982 494,916
1983 535,201
1984 577,910
1985 622,905
1986 670,284
1987 720,041
1988 763,870
1989 781,801
1990 799,966
1991 818,441
1992 837,239
1993 856,375
1994 875,796
1995 895,490
1996 915,512
1997 935,926
1998 956,975
1999 978,884
2000 1,001,876
2001 1,043,561
2002 1,096,793
2003 1,152,889
2004 1,211,822
2005 1,273,520
2006 1,338,058
2007 1,405,583
2008 1,476,319
2009 1,550,312
2010 1,627,878
2011 1,709,105
2012 1,793,973
2013 1,882,255
2014 1,973,427
2015 2,067,216
2016 2,163,454
2017 2,262,231
2018 2,363,346
2019 2,466,822
2020 2,572,517

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