Palau - Urban population

The value for Urban population in Palau was 14,652 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 14,652 in 2020 and a minimum value of 5,551 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 5,551
1961 5,738
1962 5,929
1963 6,096
1964 6,258
1965 6,413
1966 6,546
1967 6,667
1968 6,778
1969 6,904
1970 7,048
1971 7,231
1972 7,441
1973 7,647
1974 7,803
1975 7,886
1976 7,883
1977 7,803
1978 7,691
1979 7,615
1980 7,616
1981 7,787
1982 8,065
1983 8,401
1984 8,759
1985 9,119
1986 9,434
1987 9,679
1988 9,920
1989 10,181
1990 10,483
1991 10,804
1992 11,155
1993 11,514
1994 11,893
1995 12,256
1996 12,549
1997 12,803
1998 13,038
1999 13,250
2000 13,437
2001 13,591
2002 13,719
2003 13,789
2004 13,979
2005 14,077
2006 14,055
2007 13,920
2008 13,730
2009 13,555
2010 13,433
2011 13,402
2012 13,437
2013 13,530
2014 13,662
2015 13,807
2016 13,957
2017 14,134
2018 14,316
2019 14,485
2020 14,652

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