2005 World Development Indicators166
3.10 Urbanization
Urban population Population
in urban
agglomerations
of more than
1 million
Population in
largest city
Access to improved
sanitation facilities
millions
% of total
population
average
annual %
growth
% of total
population
% of urban
population
% of urban
population
% of rural
population
1990 2003 1990 2003 1990­2003 1990 2005 1990 2005 1990 2002 1990 2002
Afghanistan 3.2 6.7 18 23 5.6 9 11 48 45 .. 16 5 5
Albania 1.2 1.4 36 44 1.3 .. .. .. .. 99 99 .. 81
Algeria 12.9 18.7 51 59 2.9 8 10 15 17 99 99 76 82
Angola 2.6 4.9 28 36 4.9 17 20 62 52 62 56 19 16
Argentina 27.9 32.6 87 89 1.2 42 41 40 38 87 .. 47 ..
Armenia 2.4 2.1 67 67 ­1.1 33 35 49 52 96 96 .. 61
Australia 14.5 18.3 85 92 1.8 60 61 25 23 100 100 100 100
Austria 5.2 5.5 67 68 0.4 27 27 40 40 100 100 100 100
Azerbaijan 3.9 4.3 54 52 0.8 24 22 45 42 .. 73 .. 36
Bangladesh 21.8 37.0 20 27 4.1 9 13 30 31 71 75 11 39
Belarus 6.8 6.9 66 70 0.2 16 17 24 25 .. .. .. ..
Belgium 9.6 10.1 97 98 0.4 .. .. 10 10 .. .. .. ..
Benin 1.6 3.0 34 45 4.7 .. .. .. .. 31 58 1 12
Bolivia 3.7 5.6 56 64 3.2 25 31 29 26 49 58 13 23
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.7 1.8 39 44 0.4 .. .. .. .. 99 99 .. 88
Botswana 0.5 0.9 42 50 3.6 .. .. .. .. 61 57 21 25
Brazil 110.6 146.2 75 83 2.1 33 37 13 12 82 83 37 35
Bulgaria 5.8 5.3 66 68 ­0.7 14 13 21 20 100 100 100 100
Burkina Faso 1.2 2.1 14 18 4.4 .. .. 49 37 47 45 8 5
Burundi 0.3 0.7 6 10 5.7 .. .. .. .. 42 47 44 35
Cambodia 1.2 2.5 13 19 5.6 6 8 .. .. .. 53 .. 8
Cameroon 4.7 8.2 40 51 4.3 16 22 21 22 43 63 7 33
Canada 21.3 25.1 77 79 1.3 34 37 18 20 100 100 99 99
Central African Republic 1.1 1.7 37 43 3.1 .. .. .. .. 32 47 18 12
Chad 1.2 2.1 21 25 4.3 .. .. .. .. 27 30 1 0
Chile 10.9 13.7 83 87 1.7 35 35 42 40 91 96 52 64
China 311.1 498.0 27 39 3.6 14 15 4 2 64 69 7 29
Hong Kong, China 5.7 6.8 100 100 1.4 100 100 100 100 .. .. .. ..
Colombia 24.0 34.1 69 76 2.7 28 33 21 21 95 96 52 54
Congo, Dem. Rep. .. .. .. .. .. 9 10 .. .. 56 43 3 23
Congo, Rep. 1.4 2.5 56 67 4.6 .. .. 51 43 .. 14 2 2
Costa Rica 1.6 2.4 54 61 3.0 .. .. 45 45 .. 89 97 97
Côte ďIvoire 4.7 7.6 40 45 3.7 18 20 45 44 52 61 16 23
Croatia 2.6 2.6 54 59 0.1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Cuba 7.8 8.6 74 76 0.7 20 19 27 25 99 99 95 95
Czech Republic 7.7 7.6 75 75 ­0.1 12 11 16 15 .. .. .. ..
Denmark 4.4 4.6 85 85 0.4 26 20 31 24 .. .. .. ..
Dominican Republic 4.1 5.9 58 67 2.7 22 21 37 31 60 67 33 43
Ecuador 5.7 8.4 55 64 3.0 26 29 28 27 73 80 36 59
Egypt, Arab Rep. 22.9 28.9 44 43 1.8 23 21 40 37 70 84 42 56
El Salvador 2.5 4.1 49 64 3.8 19 22 39 33 70 78 33 40
Eritrea 0.5 0.9 16 20 4.4 .. .. .. .. 46 34 0 3
Estonia 1.1 0.9 71 70 ­1.3 .. .. .. .. .. 93 .. ..
Ethiopia 6.5 11.4 13 17 4.3 3 4 28 23 14 19 2 4
Finland 3.1 3.1 61 59 0.0 17 21 28 36 100 100 100 100
France 42.0 45.3 74 76 0.6 23 23 22 22 .. .. .. ..
Gabon 0.6 1.1 68 84 4.2 .. .. .. .. .. 37 .. 30
Gambia, The 0.2 0.5 25 33 5.3 .. .. .. .. .. 72 .. 46
Georgia 3.0 2.9 55 57 ­0.3 22 21 41 36 96 96 .. 69
Germany 67.8 72.7 85 88 0.5 40 41 9 9 .. .. .. ..
Ghana 5.1 7.7 34 37 3.1 8 9 23 24 54 74 37 46
Greece 6.0 6.7 59 61 0.9 30 29 51 47 .. .. .. ..
Guatemala 3.3 5.0 38 41 3.1 .. .. 24 18 71 72 35 52
Guinea 1.3 2.3 23 29 4.1 15 18 65 60 27 25 13 6
Guinea-Bissau 0.2 0.5 24 34 5.7 .. .. .. .. .. 57 .. 23
Haiti 1.9 3.2 29 38 3.9 18 24 59 62 27 52 11 23
2005 World Development Indicators 167
ENVIRONMENT
Urbanization 3.10Urban population Population
in urban
agglomerations
of more than
1 million
Population in
largest city
Access to improved
sanitation facilities
millions
% of total
population
average
annual %
growth
% of total
population
% of urban
population
% of urban
population
% of rural
population
1990 2003 1990 2003 1990­2003 1990 2005 1990 2005 1990 2002 1990 2002
Honduras 2.0 3.9 42 56 4.9 .. .. 35 25 77 89 31 52
Hungary 6.4 6.6 62 65 0.2 19 17 31 25 100 100 .. 85
India 216.9 301.3 26 28 2.5 9 11 6 6 43 58 1 18
Indonesia 54.5 94.7 31 44 4.2 9 11 14 13 66 71 38 38
Iran, Islamic Rep. 30.6 43.9 56 66 2.8 22 22 21 16 86 86 78 78
Iraq 12.6 16.7 70 68 2.2 30 32 33 34 95 95 48 48
Ireland 2.0 2.4 57 60 1.4 .. .. 46 42 .. .. .. ..
Israel 4.2 6.2 90 92 2.9 48 58 43 47 100 100 .. ..
Italy 37.8 38.9 67 67 0.2 23 20 12 10 .. .. .. ..
Jamaica 1.2 1.5 51 58 1.6 .. .. .. .. 85 90 64 68
Japan 95.6 101.1 77 79 0.4 42 44 34 35 100 100 100 100
Jordan 2.3 4.2 72 79 4.7 27 23 37 29 97 94 .. 85
Kazakhstan 9.3 8.3 57 56 ­0.9 7 7 12 13 87 87 52 52
Kenya 5.6 11.6 24 36 5.6 6 9 25 22 49 56 40 43
Korea, Dem. Rep. 11.7 13.8 58 61 1.3 15 20 21 23 .. 58 .. 60
Korea, Rep. 31.7 40.0 74 84 1.8 49 46 33 23 .. .. .. ..
Kuwait 2.0 2.3 95 96 1.0 48 49 51 51 .. .. .. ..
Kyrgyz Republic 1.7 1.7 38 34 0.3 .. .. 38 47 .. 75 .. 51
Lao PDR 0.6 1.2 15 21 4.7 .. .. .. .. .. 61 .. 14
Latvia 1.9 1.4 70 60 ­2.2 .. .. 47 52 .. .. .. ..
Lebanon 3.1 4.1 84 91 2.2 32 41 38 45 100 100 .. 87
Lesotho 0.3 0.5 20 30 4.2 .. .. .. .. 61 61 32 32
Liberia 1.0 1.6 42 47 3.3 .. .. .. .. 59 49 24 7
Libya 3.5 4.9 82 88 2.6 35 36 43 41 97 97 96 96
Lithuania 2.5 2.4 68 69 ­0.4 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Macedonia, FYR 1.1 1.2 58 60 0.8 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Madagascar 2.7 5.3 24 31 5.1 8 10 35 31 25 49 8 27
Malawi 1.0 1.7 12 16 4.4 .. .. .. .. 52 66 34 42
Malaysia 9.1 14.7 50 59 3.7 6 5 12 9 94 .. 98 98
Mali 2.0 3.8 24 32 4.8 9 11 37 34 50 59 32 38
Mauritania 0.9 1.8 44 62 5.2 .. .. .. .. 31 64 26 9
Mauritius 0.4 0.5 41 42 1.4 .. .. .. .. 100 100 99 99
Mexico 60.3 76.7 72 75 1.9 32 34 25 24 84 90 20 39
Moldova 2.0 1.8 47 42 ­1.1 .. .. .. .. .. 86 .. 52
Mongolia 1.2 1.4 57 57 1.2 .. .. 48 58 .. 75 .. 37
Morocco 11.6 17.3 48 57 3.0 21 24 23 21 87 83 28 31
Mozambique 3.0 6.7 21 36 6.2 5 7 26 18 .. 51 14 14
Myanmar 10.0 14.4 25 29 2.8 7 8 29 27 39 96 15 63
Namibia 0.4 0.7 27 32 4.3 .. .. .. .. 68 66 8 14
Nepal 1.6 3.2 9 13 5.2 .. .. .. .. 62 68 7 20
Netherlands 13.3 14.6 89 90 0.7 14 14 8 8 100 100 100 100
New Zealand 2.9 3.5 85 86 1.3 25 28 30 32 .. .. 88 ..
Nicaragua 2.0 3.1 53 57 3.4 19 20 36 35 64 78 27 51
Niger 1.2 2.6 16 22 5.8 .. .. 36 35 35 43 2 4
Nigeria 33.7 63.6 35 47 4.9 10 12 14 16 50 48 33 30
Norway 3.1 3.4 72 76 0.9 .. .. 22 23 .. .. .. ..
Oman 1.0 2.0 62 78 5.3 .. .. .. .. 97 97 61 61
Pakistan 33.0 50.6 31 34 3.3 16 18 22 22 81 92 19 35
Panama 1.3 1.7 54 57 2.2 .. .. 66 53 .. 89 .. 51
Papua New Guinea 0.6 1.0 15 18 4.0 .. .. .. .. 67 67 41 41
Paraguay 2.0 3.3 49 58 3.7 22 29 46 50 71 94 46 58
Peru 14.9 20.1 69 74 2.3 27 29 39 39 68 72 15 33
Philippines 29.8 49.7 49 61 3.9 14 14 27 20 63 81 46 61
Poland 23.1 24.1 61 63 0.3 14 13 15 12 .. .. .. ..
Portugal 4.6 7.1 47 68 3.3 30 31 40 27 .. .. .. ..
Puerto Rico 2.5 3.0 71 76 1.3 44 59 61 77 .. .. .. ..
2005 World Development Indicators168
Urbanization3.10 Urban population Population
in urban
agglomerations
of more than
1 million
Population in
largest city
Access to improved
sanitation facilities
millions
% of total
population
average
annual %
growth
% of total
population
% of urban
population
% of urban
population
% of rural
population
1990 2003 1990 2003 1990­2003 1990 2005 1990 2005 1990 2002 1990 2002
Romania 12.4 12.1 54 56 ­0.2 9 8 16 14 .. 86 .. 10
Russian Federation 108.7 104.6 73 73 ­0.3 18 20 8 10 93 93 70 70
Rwanda 0.4 0.6 5 7 3.1 .. .. .. .. 49 56 36 38
Saudi Arabia 12.4 19.7 78 88 3.6 31 45 19 26 100 100 .. ..
Senegal 2.9 5.1 40 50 4.2 20 22 50 43 52 70 23 34
Serbia and Montenegro 5.4 4.2 51 52 ­1.8 11 10 21 20 97 97 77 77
Sierra Leone 1.2 2.1 30 39 4.2 .. .. 48 45 .. 53 .. 30
Singapore 3.0 4.3 100 100 2.6 99 99 99 99 100 100 .. ..
Slovak Republic 3.0 3.1 56 58 0.4 .. .. .. .. 100 100 100 100
Slovenia 1.0 1.0 50 49 ­0.2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Somalia 1.7 2.8 24 29 3.6 11 12 44 41 .. 47 .. 14
South Africa 17.2 27.1 49 59 3.5 23 29 11 12 85 86 42 44
Spain 29.3 32.2 75 78 0.7 23 23 16 16 .. .. .. ..
Sri Lanka 3.5 4.6 21 24 2.1 .. .. .. .. 89 98 64 89
Sudan 6.6 13.0 27 39 5.2 9 13 36 31 53 50 26 24
Swaziland 0.2 0.3 24 27 3.9 .. .. .. .. .. 78 .. 44
Sweden 7.1 7.5 83 83 0.4 17 19 21 23 100 100 100 100
Switzerland 4.0 5.0 60 68 1.6 .. .. 21 20 100 100 100 100
Syrian Arab Republic 5.9 9.1 49 53 3.3 27 27 26 26 97 97 56 56
Tajikistan 1.7 1.7 32 28 0.3 .. .. .. .. .. 71 .. 47
Tanzania 5.5 12.7 22 35 6.4 5 7 24 19 51 54 45 41
Thailand 10.4 12.7 19 20 1.5 11 11 57 51 95 97 74 100
Togo 1.0 1.7 29 35 4.2 .. .. .. .. 71 71 24 15
Trinidad and Tobago 0.8 1.0 69 75 1.3 .. .. .. .. 100 100 100 100
Tunisia 4.7 6.7 58 67 2.6 19 20 33 30 95 90 47 62
Turkey 34.4 47.4 61 67 2.5 22 26 19 20 96 94 67 62
Turkmenistan 1.7 2.2 45 45 2.2 .. .. .. .. .. 77 .. 50
Uganda 1.9 3.9 11 15 5.3 4 5 39 31 54 53 41 39
Ukraine 34.7 33.0 67 68 ­0.4 14 15 7 8 100 100 97 97
United Arab Emirates 1.4 3.6 80 88 7.1 .. .. 33 36 100 100 100 100
United Kingdom 51.3 53.2 89 90 0.3 24 23 15 14 .. .. .. ..
United States 187.8 226.6 75 78 1.4 40 42 9 8 100 100 100 100
Uruguay 2.8 3.1 89 93 1.0 41 40 46 43 95 95 .. 85
Uzbekistan 8.2 9.4 40 37 1.0 10 8 25 22 73 73 48 48
Venezuela, RB 16.6 22.5 84 88 2.3 31 34 17 14 .. 71 .. 48
Vietnam 13.4 20.7 20 25 3.3 13 13 30 23 46 84 16 26
West Bank and Gaza .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Yemen, Rep. 2.7 4.9 23 26 4.6 6 8 25 30 59 76 11 14
Zambia 3.1 4.2 39 40 2.4 13 13 32 33 64 68 26 32
Zimbabwe 2.9 4.9 28 37 4.0 10 12 36 30 69 69 40 51
World 2,263.3 s 3,015.7 s 44 w 49 w 2.2 w .. w .. w 17 w 16 w 77 w 79 w 21 w 35 w
Low income 447.5 686.5 26 30 3.3 10 12 17 16 49 61 10 24
Middle income 1,148.1 1,570.8 44 53 2.4 .. .. 16 15 79 81 25 41
Lower middle income 946.4 1,319.8 41 50 2.6 17 18 14 13 78 80 24 41
Upper middle income 201.8 251.1 71 75 1.7 .. .. 27 26 89 .. .. ..
Low & middle income 1,595.7 2,257.4 37 43 2.7 .. .. 16 15 71 75 18 32
East Asia & Pacific 454.1 725.5 28 39 3.6 .. .. 11 8 64 71 16 35
Europe & Central Asia 294.4 301.1 63 64 0.2 16 18 14 .. 94 93 72 64
Latin America & Carib. 309.1 407.8 71 77 2.1 31 33 24 23 83 84 35 44
Middle East & N. Africa 126.6 181.8 54 59 2.8 22 24 27 27 88 90 52 56
South Asia 280.1 403.5 25 28 2.8 10 12 10 10 50 64 5 23
Sub-Saharan Africa 131.5 237.6 28 36 4.6 .. .. 26 24 53 55 25 26
High income 667.6 758.3 77 80 1.0 .. .. 19 19 .. .. .. ..
Europe EMU 220.9 239.0 75 78 0.6 28 28 16 18 .. .. .. ..
2005 World Development Indicators 169
ENVIRONMENT
About the data Definitions
3.10Urbanization
The population of a city or metropolitan area depends
on the boundaries chosen. For example, in 1990
Beijing, China, contained 2.3 million people in 87
square kilometers of "inner city" and 5.4 million in
158 square kilometers of "core city." The population
of "inner city and inner suburban districts" was
6.3 million, and that of "inner city, inner and outer
suburban districts, and inner and outer counties"
was 10.8 million. (For most countries the last definition
is used.)
Estimates of the worlďs urban population would
change significantly if China, India, and a few other
populous nations were to change their definition of
urban centers. According to China's State Statistical
Bureau, by the end of 1996 urban residents
accounted for about 43 percent of China's population,
while in 1994 only 20 percent of the population
was considered urban. In addition to the continuous
migration of people from rural to urban areas, one of
the main reasons for this shift was the rapid growth
in the hundreds of towns reclassified as cities in
recent years. Because the estimates in the table are
based on national definitions of what constitutes a
city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons
should be made with caution. To estimate urban
populations, the United Nations' ratios of urban to
total population were applied to the World Bank's
estimates of total population (see table 2.1).
The urban population with access to improved sanitation
facilities is defined as people with access to
at least adequate excreta disposal facilities that can
effectively prevent human, animal, and insect contact
with excreta. The rural population with access
is included to allow comparison of rural and urban
access. This definition and the definition of urban
areas vary, however, so comparisons between countries
can be misleading.
* Urban population is the midyear population of
areas defined as urban in each country and reported
to the United Nations (see About the data). ˇ Population
in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million
is the percentage of a country's population living in
metropolitan areas that in 2000 had a population
of more than 1 million. ˇ Population in largest city
is the percentage of a country's urban population
living in that country's largest metropolitan area.
* Access to improved sanitation facilities refers to
the percentage of the urban or rural population with
access to at least adequate excreta disposal facilities
(private or shared but not public) that can effectively
prevent human, animal, and insect contact with
excreta. Improved facilities range from simple but
protected pit latrines to flush toilets with a sewerage
connection. To be effective, facilities must be correctly
constructed and properly maintained.
3.10b
. . . and urbanization is growing fastest in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
3.10a
Developing economies are becoming more urban
The data on urban population and the population
in urban agglomerations and in the largest city
come from the United Nations Population Division's
World Urbanization Prospects: The 2003
Revision. The total population figures are World
Bank estimates. The data on access to sanitation
in urban and rural areas are from the World Health
Organization.
Data sources