Puerto Rico - Urban population (% of total population)

Urban population (% of total population) in Puerto Rico was 93.58 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 60 years was 94.39 in 2000, while its lowest value was 44.55 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 44.55
1961 45.93
1962 47.33
1963 48.72
1964 50.13
1965 51.52
1966 52.92
1967 54.31
1968 55.70
1969 57.08
1970 58.33
1971 59.23
1972 60.13
1973 61.01
1974 61.90
1975 62.77
1976 63.64
1977 64.49
1978 65.34
1979 66.18
1980 67.84
1981 71.77
1982 75.41
1983 78.71
1984 81.68
1985 84.32
1986 86.64
1987 88.66
1988 90.41
1989 91.92
1990 92.94
1991 93.11
1992 93.27
1993 93.42
1994 93.58
1995 93.73
1996 93.88
1997 94.02
1998 94.16
1999 94.30
2000 94.39
2001 94.33
2002 94.28
2003 94.22
2004 94.17
2005 94.11
2006 94.06
2007 94.00
2008 93.94
2009 93.88
2010 93.83
2011 93.77
2012 93.73
2013 93.69
2014 93.65
2015 93.62
2016 93.60
2017 93.59
2018 93.58
2019 93.58
2020 93.58

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