Latin America & Caribbean | 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
Latin America & Caribbean
Records
63
Source
Latin America & Caribbean | Urban population (% of total population)
49.41692954 1960
50.21759745 1961
51.03086541 1962
51.84730662 1963
52.66860606 1964
53.4352629 1965
54.20158883 1966
54.96703858 1967
55.73342803 1968
56.49527929 1969
57.251068 1970
58.0122165 1971
58.76650052 1972
59.49824971 1973
60.22458341 1974
60.95034413 1975
61.67196855 1976
62.39346022 1977
63.11278892 1978
63.82510483 1979
64.53527446 1980
65.2278119 1981
65.88637912 1982
66.52392657 1983
67.15363938 1984
67.77577756 1985
68.38227572 1986
68.97621014 1987
69.56122161 1988
70.13459236 1989
70.69273177 1990
71.21505077 1991
71.71451013 1992
72.2021969 1993
72.69615809 1994
73.18524036 1995
73.65244051 1996
74.1284417 1997
74.59913926 1998
75.05340398 1999
75.5023677 2000
75.86072514 2001
76.18992509 2002
76.5110233 2003
76.81913083 2004
77.12245501 2005
77.42295291 2006
77.7196869 2007
78.01001026 2008
78.29313264 2009
78.56904961 2010
78.84894068 2011
79.12050881 2012
79.38633421 2013
79.64959608 2014
79.91008068 2015
80.16578312 2016
80.41445313 2017
80.65070817 2018
80.8888556 2019
81.13457 2020
81.37701329 2021
81.62121654 2022
Latin America & Caribbean | 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
Latin America & Caribbean
Records
63
Source