Share of urban population who live in the largest city in China
China: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 2.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in China, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in China is 2.3%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in China peaked at 2.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1980.
China ranks 179th of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 303,405 people (2020)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.01 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in China?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in China was 2.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1980.
- How does China rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- China ranks 179th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.