Share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen
Yemen: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 41.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
41.8%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
164th
of 202 countries
All-time high
41.8%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Yemen recorded 41.8% for share of population living in urbanized areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen peaked at 41.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Yemen ranks 164th of 202 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.6% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.6% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 3.3% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 3.6% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 4.0% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 4.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 5.2% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 5.7% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 6.0% | +4.8% |
| 1952 | 6.2% | +4.9% |
| 1953 | 6.6% | +4.9% |
| 1954 | 6.9% | +5.0% |
| 1955 | 7.2% | +5.0% |
| 1956 | 7.6% | +5.0% |
| 1957 | 8.0% | +4.9% |
| 1958 | 8.3% | +4.9% |
| 1959 | 8.8% | +4.9% |
| 1960 | 9.2% | +4.9% |
| 1961 | 9.6% | +4.4% |
| 1962 | 10.0% | +4.4% |
| 1963 | 10.4% | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 11.3% | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 11.8% | +4.0% |
| 1967 | 12.2% | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 12.7% | +3.9% |
| 1969 | 13.2% | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 13.7% | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 14.1% | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 14.4% | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 14.8% | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 15.2% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 15.7% | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 16.0% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 16.2% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 16.6% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 17.0% | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 17.4% | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 17.7% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 18.0% | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 18.3% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 18.7% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 19.1% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 19.4% | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 19.8% | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 20.3% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 20.9% | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 21.6% | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 22.0% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 22.6% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 23.2% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 23.8% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 24.3% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 24.9% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 25.4% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 25.9% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 26.4% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 26.9% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 27.4% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 27.9% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 28.4% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 28.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 29.4% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 29.9% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 30.3% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 30.8% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 31.3% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 31.8% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 32.5% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 33.8% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 34.5% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 35.2% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 37.9% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 38.6% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 39.2% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 39.8% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 40.5% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 41.1% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 41.8% | +1.6% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 41.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 40.5%, 1.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 41.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.8%, 57% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1770s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1780s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1850s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1870s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1890s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1900s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1910s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1920s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 7.1% | 5.7% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 11.1% | 9.2% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.4% | 13.7% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.0% | 17.4% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.0% | 21.6% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.1% | 26.9% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.8% | 31.8% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.2% | 38.6% | 41.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More population data for Yemen
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 55,296 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.01 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5817 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population density 208.41 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.88 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Yemen was 41.8% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 41.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Yemen rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Yemen ranks 164th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Yemen data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.