Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia
Indonesia: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 16.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia stood at 16.5%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia peaked at 16.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 1950.
Indonesia ranks 135th 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.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.0% | — |
| 1955 | 8.7% | +9.6% |
| 1960 | 9.6% | +10.4% |
| 1965 | 10.0% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 10.4% | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 10.9% | +4.5% |
| 1980 | 11.7% | +7.6% |
| 1985 | 12.3% | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 13.0% | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 13.4% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 14.0% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 14.8% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 16.5% | +2.8% |
Indonesia compared with similar countries
- Indonesia's 16.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.9%, 64% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Indonesia's 16.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.2%, 59% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 9.8% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 10.6% | 10.4% | 10.9% | 2 |
| 1980s | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 13.2% | 13.0% | 13.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 14.0% | 14.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.8% | 15.5% | 16.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 16.5% | 16.5% | 16.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Indonesia
- 132 United Kingdom 17.2% compare
- 133 Guadeloupe 17.1% compare
- 134 Iraq 16.6% compare
- 136 Tajikistan 16.2% compare
- 137 Afghanistan 15.9% compare
- 138 Eritrea 15.4% compare
More population data for Indonesia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3357 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.3782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.3782 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 14.26 million people (2100)
- Population density 156.14 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6183 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.6604 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Indonesia was 16.5% 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 Indonesia?
- The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Indonesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 1950.
- How does Indonesia rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Indonesia ranks 135th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Indonesia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Indonesia 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.