United Kingdom - Urban population

The value for Urban population in United Kingdom was 56,395,650 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 56,395,650 in 2020 and a minimum value of 41,104,660 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 41,104,660
1961 41,381,470
1962 41,661,200
1963 41,900,110
1964 42,098,400
1965 42,294,200
1966 42,452,050
1967 42,603,820
1968 42,733,860
1969 42,833,740
1970 42,925,830
1971 43,056,860
1972 43,295,640
1973 43,470,960
1974 43,590,040
1975 43,677,890
1976 43,757,640
1977 43,833,730
1978 43,925,440
1979 44,054,300
1980 44,195,960
1981 44,271,630
1982 44,228,170
1983 44,215,090
1984 44,257,470
1985 44,329,760
1986 44,404,210
1987 44,470,320
1988 44,540,720
1989 44,628,280
1990 44,733,260
1991 44,855,740
1992 45,011,750
1993 45,154,420
1994 45,304,830
1995 45,459,650
1996 45,610,450
1997 45,762,480
1998 45,931,120
1999 46,119,140
2000 46,319,550
2001 46,557,340
2002 46,930,580
2003 47,323,790
2004 47,767,770
2005 48,269,620
2006 48,798,540
2007 49,351,700
2008 49,913,480
2009 50,463,080
2010 51,030,310
2011 51,600,210
2012 52,130,340
2013 52,650,600
2014 53,209,680
2015 53,802,930
2016 54,382,820
2017 54,923,320
2018 55,426,600
2019 55,909,920
2020 56,395,650

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