Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Somalia
Somalia: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 27.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Somalia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Somalia recorded 27.9% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 66.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Somalia peaked at 27.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 1950.
That places Somalia 83rd out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.9% | — |
| 1955 | 7.4% | +7.7% |
| 1960 | 8.1% | +8.3% |
| 1965 | 9.6% | +19.6% |
| 1970 | 12.7% | +31.6% |
| 1975 | 16.3% | +28.1% |
| 1980 | 13.8% | -15.1% |
| 1985 | 16.3% | +18.2% |
| 1990 | 20.5% | +25.5% |
| 1995 | 21.1% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 17.9% | -15.3% |
| 2005 | 17.1% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 16.8% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 19.8% | +18.1% |
| 2020 | 27.9% | +41.1% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 27.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 18.4%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 27.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9%, 97% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.2% | 6.9% | 7.4% | 2 |
| 1960s | 8.9% | 8.1% | 9.6% | 2 |
| 1970s | 14.5% | 12.7% | 16.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 15.1% | 13.8% | 16.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 20.8% | 20.5% | 21.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.5% | 17.1% | 17.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 18.3% | 16.8% | 19.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 27.9% | 27.9% | 27.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 80 Madagascar 28.4% compare
- 81 Malaysia 28.2% compare
- 82 New Zealand 28.1% compare
- 84 Burkina Faso 27.7% compare
- 85 North Macedonia 27.1% compare
- 86 Hungary 26.7% compare
More population data for Somalia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.4952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.14 million people (2100)
- Population density 107.38 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3207 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.89 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Somalia?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Somalia was 27.9% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 27.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 1950.
- How does Somalia rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Somalia ranks 83rd out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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.