Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece
Greece: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 45.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Greece recorded 45.5% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020.
The figure is up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece peaked at 50.8% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 37.0%, in 1950.
Greece ranks 35th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.0% | — |
| 1955 | 39.2% | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 41.2% | +5.0% |
| 1965 | 44.0% | +6.9% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 50.1% | +5.0% |
| 1980 | 50.8% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 49.3% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 47.6% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 46.4% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 45.6% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 45.1% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 45.1% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 45.6% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 45.5% | -0.4% |
Greece compared with similar countries
- Greece's 45.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Greece's 45.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.1%, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 38.1% | 37.0% | 39.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 42.6% | 41.2% | 44.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 48.9% | 47.8% | 50.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 50.0% | 49.3% | 50.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 47.0% | 46.4% | 47.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 45.4% | 45.1% | 45.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 45.4% | 45.1% | 45.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 45.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Greece
More population data for Greece
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6991 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6525 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.38 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6525 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 223,897 people (2100)
- Population density 48.69 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6659 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.4091 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Greece was 45.5% 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 Greece?
- The highest recorded value was 50.8% in 1980.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Greece?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.0% in 1950.
- How does Greece rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Greece ranks 35th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Greece?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Greece 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.