Annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives
Maldives: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.2%
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
31st
of 236 countries
All-time high
9.3%
in 1973
All-time low
-0.7%
in 1966
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives stood at 1.2%.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives peaked at 9.3% in 1973 and was at its lowest, -0.7%, in 1966.
Maldives ranks 31st of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.8% | — |
| 1951 | 0.7% | -3.9% |
| 1952 | 0.7% | -4.5% |
| 1953 | 0.7% | -5.2% |
| 1954 | 0.6% | -5.9% |
| 1955 | 0.6% | -6.7% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | -7.7% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | -8.9% |
| 1958 | 0.4% | -10.4% |
| 1959 | 0.4% | -12.3% |
| 1960 | 0.3% | -14.7% |
| 1961 | 0.3% | -18.2% |
| 1962 | 0.2% | -23.4% |
| 1963 | 0.1% | -31.9% |
| 1964 | 0.1% | -52.2% |
| 1965 | -0.2% | -446.9% |
| 1966 | -0.7% | +213.8% |
| 1967 | 0.1% | -109.2% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | +1852.2% |
| 1969 | 2.1% | +61.8% |
| 1970 | 3.4% | +63.7% |
| 1971 | 6.1% | +79.9% |
| 1972 | 8.5% | +38.6% |
| 1973 | 9.3% | +8.9% |
| 1974 | 9.1% | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 8.2% | -9.5% |
| 1976 | 6.6% | -19.1% |
| 1977 | 5.2% | -21.9% |
| 1978 | 4.1% | -21.4% |
| 1979 | 3.9% | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 3.7% | -7.3% |
| 1981 | 3.2% | -11.8% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | -17.4% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | -25.8% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -41.1% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -52.1% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -24.9% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -18.1% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | -32.4% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -57.0% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -194.1% |
| 1991 | -0.3% | +176.3% |
| 1992 | -0.4% | +41.5% |
| 1993 | -0.3% | -10.1% |
| 1994 | -0.2% | -47.0% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -257.0% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +224.7% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | +70.2% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +22.5% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | +40.1% |
| 2001 | 4.0% | +42.8% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | +22.1% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | -28.5% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | -37.5% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -19.5% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -13.1% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -12.4% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -10.1% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +30.8% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.3% | -0.7% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.5% | 3.4% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 0.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | -0.4% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 1.1% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More population data for Maldives
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.3006 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.44 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.3006 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.378 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 569.91 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1872 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2781 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.3% (2100)
- Population density 1,583 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 21,159 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Maldives was 1.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 1973.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7% in 1966.
- How does Maldives rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Maldives ranks 31st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Maldives data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.