Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) | Urban population (% of total population)

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. 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.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Records
63
Source
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) | Urban population (% of total population)
1960 45.04816398
1961 45.78733508
1962 46.50223167
1963 47.21756071
1964 47.93396346
1965 48.66334547
1966 49.37297479
1967 50.0692727
1968 50.76678299
1969 51.46365929
1970 52.15102382
1971 52.8162802
1972 53.46750964
1973 54.11385649
1974 54.75427695
1975 55.37109917
1976 55.96815629
1977 56.55385979
1978 57.14107394
1979 57.65035177
1980 58.07421463
1981 58.59189948
1982 59.13921179
1983 59.68416953
1984 60.23728764
1985 60.77556496
1986 61.26827071
1987 61.73797206
1988 62.20566671
1989 62.54657827
1990 62.73918858
1991 62.88258509
1992 62.98229329
1993 63.05668069
1994 63.12907588
1995 63.20434004
1996 63.26413605
1997 63.32725866
1998 63.40048959
1999 63.48233772
2000 63.57160313
2001 63.68490407
2002 63.81976311
2003 63.97145264
2004 64.13208251
2005 64.29784612
2006 64.46532438
2007 64.63879727
2008 64.81495043
2009 64.98771486
2010 65.14924308
2011 65.29298063
2012 65.42476927
2013 65.55554084
2014 65.68912737
2015 65.82920654
2016 65.97790772
2017 66.13432767
2018 66.29974343
2019 66.47444374
2020 66.6494172
2021 66.84218435
2022 67.00804002

Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) | Urban population (% of total population)

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. 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.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Records
63
Source