St. Lucia - Urban population

The value for Urban population in St. Lucia was 34,598 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 43,532 in 2000 and a minimum value of 19,249 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 19,249
1961 19,682
1962 20,156
1963 20,669
1964 21,214
1965 21,785
1966 22,383
1967 23,007
1968 23,644
1969 24,269
1970 24,867
1971 25,429
1972 25,958
1973 26,481
1974 27,030
1975 27,628
1976 28,285
1977 28,994
1978 29,741
1979 30,510
1980 31,272
1981 32,023
1982 32,772
1983 33,540
1984 34,359
1985 35,252
1986 36,229
1987 37,282
1988 38,374
1989 39,461
1990 40,507
1991 41,401
1992 41,633
1993 41,826
1994 42,022
1995 42,247
1996 42,515
1997 42,810
1998 43,104
1999 43,352
2000 43,532
2001 43,458
2002 41,966
2003 40,479
2004 39,052
2005 37,723
2006 36,496
2007 35,346
2008 34,225
2009 33,089
2010 32,120
2011 32,387
2012 32,593
2013 32,769
2014 32,955
2015 33,166
2016 33,410
2017 33,679
2018 33,973
2019 34,281
2020 34,598

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