Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 7.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ethiopia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 7.7% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ethiopia peaked at 8.6% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1950.
That places Ethiopia 170th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 7.9% | 7.2% | 8.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 7.3% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More population data for Ethiopia
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 23.22 million people (2100)
- Population density 325.45 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.91 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 1.01 million people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.91 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.91 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.6% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.99 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ethiopia?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ethiopia was 7.7% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.6% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1950.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Ethiopia ranks 170th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.