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Statistics · Country
Urban population in China
1960 – 2025 · 66 data points
28 of 42 · Countries
Updated Oct 21, 2026
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025
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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
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
1960
1980
1990
2000
2010
2025
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
| Year | China | Change | 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
2023 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong SAR China | 100.0% | |
| 2 | Netherlands | 95.3% | |
| 3 | Argentina | 92.2% | |
| 4 | Gabon | 91.6% | |
| 5 | Lebanon | 90.5% | |
| 6 | Türkiye | 89.0% | |
| 7 | Chile | 88.8% | |
| 8 | Brazil | 87.6% | |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia | 84.3% | |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 83.2% | |
| 11 | Norway | 83.1% | |
| 12 | Canada | 82.5% | |
| 13 | Germany | 81.9% | |
| 14 | South Korea | 81.2% | |
| 15 | Spain | 80.1% | |
| 16 | United States | 80.1% | |
| 17 | Mexico | 79.5% | |
| 18 | France | 78.8% | |
| 19 | Greece | 78.8% | |
| 20 | Colombia | 78.3% | |
| 21 | Russia | 75.0% | |
| 22 | Algeria | 74.7% | |
| 23 | Finland | 74.0% | |
| 24 | Bulgaria | 73.7% | |
| 25 | Czechia | 72.7% | |
| 26 | Italy | 69.5% | |
| 27 | Lithuania | 68.6% | |
| 28 | China | 65.5% | |
| 29 | Congo - Brazzaville | 63.7% | |
| 30 | Ecuador | 63.1% | |
| 31 | Poland | 59.9% | |
| 32 | Honduras | 58.3% | |
| 33 | Indonesia | 58.1% | |
| 34 | Philippines | 55.1% | |
| 35 | Liberia | 55.0% | |
| 36 | Romania | 52.2% | |
| 37 | Sierra Leone | 44.8% | |
| 38 | Congo - Kinshasa | 44.4% | |
| 39 | Egypt | 42.7% | |
| 40 | Yemen | 36.6% | |
| 41 | India | 35.1% | |
| 42 | Bangladesh | 32.2% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2023
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.
People
China in numbers
Population
1.4B
2024
Population growth
-0.17%
2025
Population density
147
2024
Median age
39.1
2023
Children under 15
15.4%
2025
Residents 65 and over
14.9%
2025
Life expectancy
78.0
2024
Births per woman
1.01
2024
Birth rate
6.8
2024
Infant mortality
4.1
2024
Net migration
-0.4
2023
Born abroad
0.1%
2024