Thursday, October 22 Beijing
Advertise
Discover Beijing
Search Log in Add your business Ask a question
  1. Home
  2. Statistics
  3. China
  4. People
  5. Urban population
People Statistics · Country

Urban population in China

1960 – 2025 · 66 data points 28 of 42 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026
People · China

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025

Featured spot available Your business could be here First in “Statistics” — with a photo and a “Featured” mark. Take this spot
Overview 4 figures People 13 figures Economy 9 figures Education 4 figures Climate 1 figure
Latest value · 2025 66.3% +0.4 pp since 2024
Countries · 2025 28 of 42 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 +9.0 pp
vs World +8.5 pp World: 57.8% · 2025
Urban population, 1960 – 2025 percent · China · World
+9.0 pp since 2015
China World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025

Compared with Urban population · percent
China
66.3%
World
57.8%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance China · 1960 – 2025
Latest value 66.3% · 2025
First value 19.7% · 1960
Highest 66.3% · 2025
Lowest 16.8% · 1963
Data points 66

By year

All years · 1960 – 2025

YearChinaChange World
2025 66.3% +0.4 pp 57.8%
2024 65.9% +0.4 pp 57.6%
2023 65.5% +0.3 pp 57.3%
2022 65.2% +0.5 pp 57.1%
2021 64.7% +1.2 pp 56.8%
2020 63.5% +0.8 pp 56.4%
2019 62.7% +1.2 pp 56.1%
2018 61.5% +1.3 pp 55.8%
2017 60.2% +1.4 pp 55.3%
2016 58.8% +1.5 pp 54.9%
2015 57.3% +1.6 pp 54.4%
2014 55.8% +1.3 pp 53.9%
2013 54.5% +1.4 pp 53.4%
2012 53.1% +1.3 pp 52.9%
2011 51.8% +2.6 pp 52.5%
2010 49.2% +0.9 pp 51.8%
2009 48.3% +1.4 pp 51.4%
2008 47.0% +1.1 pp 50.9%
2007 45.9% +1.5 pp 50.4%
2006 44.3% +1.4 pp 49.9%
2005 43.0% +1.2 pp 49.4%
2004 41.8% +1.2 pp 48.9%
2003 40.5% +1.4 pp 48.4%
2002 39.1% +1.4 pp 47.8%
2001 37.7% +1.2 pp 47.3%
2000 36.4% +1.7 pp 46.8%
1999 34.8% +1.4 pp 46.3%
1998 33.4% +1.4 pp 45.8%
1997 31.9% +1.4 pp 45.3%
1996 30.5% +1.4 pp 44.8%
1995 29.0% +0.5 pp 44.3%
1994 28.5% +0.5 pp 44.0%
1993 28.0% +0.5 pp 43.7%
1992 27.5% +0.5 pp 43.4%
1991 26.9% +0.7 pp 43.2%
1990 26.2% −0.0 pp 42.8%
1989 26.2% +0.4 pp 42.7%
1988 25.8% +0.5 pp 42.4%
1987 25.3% +0.8 pp 42.1%
1986 24.5% +0.8 pp 41.8%
1985 23.7% +0.7 pp 41.4%
1984 23.0% +1.4 pp 41.1%
1983 21.6% +1.1 pp 40.6%
1982 20.6% +0.4 pp 40.2%
1981 20.2% +0.8 pp 39.9%
1980 19.4% +0.4 pp 39.5%
1979 19.0% +1.0 pp 39.1%
1978 17.9% +0.4 pp 38.6%
1977 17.6% +0.1 pp 38.3%
1976 17.4% +0.1 pp 38.0%
1975 17.3% +0.2 pp 37.7%
1974 17.2% −0.0 pp 37.4%
1973 17.2% +0.1 pp 37.2%
1972 17.1% −0.1 pp 36.9%
1971 17.3% −0.1 pp 36.7%
1970 17.4% −0.1 pp 36.4%
1969 17.5% −0.1 pp 36.3%
1968 17.6% −0.1 pp 36.0%
1967 17.7% −0.1 pp 35.8%
1966 17.9% −0.1 pp 35.6%
1965 18.0% −0.3 pp 35.4%
1964 18.3% +1.5 pp 35.1%
1963 16.8% −0.5 pp 34.6%
1962 17.3% −2.0 pp 34.4%
1961 19.3% −0.5 pp 34.5%
1960 19.7% 34.2%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2021 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryUrban population
1 Hong Kong SAR China 100.0%
2 Netherlands 94.6%
3 Argentina 92.0%
4 Gabon 90.8%
5 Lebanon 90.0%
6 Türkiye 89.2%
7 Chile 88.5%
8 Brazil 87.1%
9 Saudi Arabia 84.0%
10 United Kingdom 83.0%
11 Norway 82.9%
12 Canada 82.2%
13 Germany 81.6%
14 South Korea 81.2%
15 United States 80.0%
16 Spain 79.8%
17 Mexico 78.9%
18 France 78.7%
19 Greece 78.4%
20 Colombia 77.8%
21 Russia 74.8%
22 Algeria 73.6%
23 Finland 73.4%
24 Bulgaria 73.3%
25 Czechia 72.7%
26 Italy 69.5%
27 Lithuania 68.2%
28 China 64.7%
29 Congo - Brazzaville 63.6%
30 Ecuador 63.1%
31 Poland 59.8%
32 Honduras 57.4%
33 Indonesia 56.9%
34 Philippines 54.5%
35 Liberia 53.9%
36 Romania 52.2%
37 Sierra Leone 43.7%
38 Congo - Kinshasa 43.6%
39 Egypt 42.6%
40 Yemen 36.1%
41 India 34.4%
42 Bangladesh 31.4%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2021

What it means

The share of people who live in towns and cities rather than the countryside.

How it is calculated

Residents of areas defined as urban by the national statistical office, divided by the total population.