Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Mauritania

Mauritania: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 50.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
50.2%
World rank
27th
of 179 countries
All-time high
50.2%
in 2020
All-time low
22.4%
in 1980
Years of data
9
1980–2020

Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Mauritania, 1980–2020

02040601980200020201980: 22.4 %1985: 38.6 %1990: 45.1 %1995: 41.1 %2000: 39.3 %2005: 45 %2010: 47.7 %2015: 48.2 %2020: 50.2 %

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 Mauritania stood at 50.2%. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

The figure is up 5.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Mauritania peaked at 50.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 22.4%, in 1980.

That places Mauritania 27th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 30.5% 22.4% 38.6% 2
1990s 43.1% 41.1% 45.1% 2
2000s 42.1% 39.3% 45.0% 2
2010s 47.9% 47.7% 48.2% 2
2020s 50.2% 50.2% 50.2% 1

Countries ranked near Mauritania

  1. 24 Latvia 50.8% compare
  2. 25 East Timor 50.7% compare
  3. 26 Equatorial Guinea 50.4% compare
  4. 28 Estonia 49.9% compare
  5. 29 Barbados 49.8% compare
  6. 30 Panama 47.8% compare

See the full ranking of 179 places →

More population data for Mauritania

All data for Mauritania →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Mauritania?
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Mauritania was 50.2% 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 Mauritania?
The highest recorded value was 50.2% in 2020.
What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Mauritania?
The lowest recorded value was 22.4% in 1980.
How does Mauritania rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
Mauritania ranks 27th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Mauritania?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mauritania 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

Indicator
Share of urban population who live in the largest city
Unit
%
Source
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
179 places, 2,452 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed

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.