Upper middle income - Urban population (% of total population)

Urban population (% of total population) in Upper middle income was 67.57 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 60 years was 67.57 in 2020, while its lowest value was 28.01 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 28.01
1961 28.84
1962 29.55
1963 30.16
1964 30.78
1965 30.95
1966 31.09
1967 31.27
1968 31.44
1969 31.60
1970 31.75
1971 31.91
1972 32.09
1973 32.34
1974 32.66
1975 33.01
1976 33.35
1977 33.70
1978 34.23
1979 34.96
1980 35.68
1981 36.43
1982 37.17
1983 37.83
1984 38.50
1985 39.18
1986 39.84
1987 40.49
1988 41.13
1989 41.76
1990 42.36
1991 43.03
1992 43.71
1993 44.39
1994 45.09
1995 45.79
1996 46.49
1997 47.21
1998 47.94
1999 48.68
2000 49.44
2001 50.32
2002 51.27
2003 52.23
2004 53.21
2005 54.19
2006 55.16
2007 56.12
2008 57.08
2009 58.04
2010 59.00
2011 59.91
2012 60.80
2013 61.67
2014 62.55
2015 63.42
2016 64.28
2017 65.13
2018 65.96
2019 66.78
2020 67.57

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