Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Tanzania
Tanzania: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 21.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania stood at 21.0%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Tanzania peaked at 21.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 1950.
Tanzania ranks 111th of 179 countries on this measure, 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.2% | — |
| 1955 | 5.7% | +9.1% |
| 1960 | 5.9% | +3.9% |
| 1965 | 6.2% | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 6.8% | +9.3% |
| 1975 | 7.6% | +12.9% |
| 1980 | 10.0% | +30.7% |
| 1985 | 10.7% | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 13.2% | +23.6% |
| 1995 | 13.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 15.6% | +9.5% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 19.8% | +11.2% |
| 2020 | 21.0% | +6.1% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 21.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.9%, 84% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 21.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9%, 73% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 6.0% | 5.9% | 6.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 10.3% | 10.0% | 10.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 13.3% | 13.2% | 13.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.9% | 14.3% | 15.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 18.8% | 17.8% | 19.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 21.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More population data for Tanzania
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.36 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.9% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 20.58 million people (2100)
- Population density 296.72 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.9% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.089 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.69 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Tanzania?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Tanzania was 21.0% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 21.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 1950.
- How does Tanzania rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Tanzania ranks 111th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.