European Union | 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
European Union
Records
63
Source
European Union | Urban population (% of total population)
1960 58.67706836
1961 59.21548432
1962 59.74999902
1963 60.33324729
1964 60.9158406
1965 61.50212879
1966 62.07312902
1967 62.61213706
1968 63.1174346
1969 63.57118095
1970 64.01808277
1971 64.46426578
1972 64.87549416
1973 65.26774603
1974 65.6477551
1975 65.98465281
1976 66.29211465
1977 66.61912138
1978 66.95558805
1979 67.28011311
1980 67.58898602
1981 67.86149952
1982 68.05883167
1983 68.22204302
1984 68.35544274
1985 68.47865751
1986 68.62911141
1987 68.83820458
1988 69.0430495
1989 69.197099
1990 69.36667898
1991 69.55903692
1992 69.71592755
1993 69.84571795
1994 69.98607083
1995 70.12686458
1996 70.26683719
1997 70.40154742
1998 70.53317531
1999 70.66978946
2000 70.82579086
2001 71.01231654
2002 71.2404831
2003 71.46284673
2004 71.68118008
2005 71.899961
2006 72.11664072
2007 72.33636418
2008 72.55497181
2009 72.76330966
2010 72.9721541
2011 73.16782326
2012 73.35662153
2013 73.53911715
2014 73.71747628
2015 73.90777231
2016 74.1046243
2017 74.30702668
2018 74.5169354
2019 74.73866338
2020 74.96054007
2021 75.19642998
2022 75.46544779

European Union | 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
European Union
Records
63
Source