Annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia
Somalia: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.9%
Change on year
down 5.4%
World rank
50th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.5%
in 2017
All-time low
0.8%
in 1982
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia, 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
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia is 0.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.4% on the previous year and down 77.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia peaked at 5.5% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1982.
Somalia ranks 50th 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.4% | — |
| 1951 | 3.3% | -1.7% |
| 1952 | 3.3% | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 3.3% | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 3.3% | -0.2% |
| 1955 | 3.2% | -2.9% |
| 1956 | 3.2% | -2.5% |
| 1957 | 3.1% | -2.4% |
| 1958 | 3.0% | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 2.9% | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 1961 | 2.8% | -2.2% |
| 1962 | 2.7% | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 2.8% | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | -4.6% |
| 1970 | 2.4% | -6.1% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -7.7% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -9.5% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | -12.0% |
| 1974 | 1.5% | -14.5% |
| 1975 | 1.3% | -15.5% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | -10.6% |
| 1977 | 1.0% | -10.4% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 0.8% | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | +6.0% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +8.0% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 1.2% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.3% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | +6.8% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +20.7% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | +36.4% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | +21.5% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -44.5% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -61.7% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -5.2% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | -5.3% |
| 2025 | 0.9% | -5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 1.2% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More population data for Somalia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.4952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 36,463 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.89 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3207 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 107.38 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.14 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Somalia was 0.9% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2017.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1982.
- How does Somalia rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Somalia ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 77.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.