Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland
Greenland: Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas was 32,222 people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland is 32,222 people, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland peaked at 43,603 people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 23,209 people, in 1950.
Greenland ranks 191st of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 23,209 people | — |
| 1955 | 26,261 people | +13.2% |
| 1960 | 32,105 people | +22.3% |
| 1965 | 38,556 people | +20.1% |
| 1970 | 39,699 people | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 42,081 people | +6.0% |
| 1980 | 40,936 people | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 42,634 people | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 43,603 people | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 42,882 people | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 37,405 people | -12.8% |
| 2005 | 36,964 people | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 35,522 people | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 33,618 people | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 32,222 people | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24,735 people | 23,209 people | 26,261 people | 2 |
| 1960s | 35,330 people | 32,105 people | 38,556 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 40,890 people | 39,699 people | 42,081 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 41,785 people | 40,936 people | 42,634 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 43,243 people | 42,882 people | 43,603 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 37,185 people | 36,964 people | 37,405 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 34,570 people | 33,618 people | 35,522 people | 2 |
| 2020s | 32,222 people | 32,222 people | 32,222 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
- 188 Hong Kong 34,765 people compare
- 189 Faroe Islands 32,696 people compare
- 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 32,284 people compare
- 192 Grenada 32,026 people compare
- 193 Bahrain 31,762 people compare
- 194 Isle of Man 27,279 people compare
More population data for Greenland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6084 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.75 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6084 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.7286 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8929 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 0.0907 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1,776 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 0.1176 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland?
- Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Greenland was 32,222 people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 43,603 people in 1990.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,209 people in 1950.
- How does Greenland rank for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas?
- Greenland ranks 191st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Greenland data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of people living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.