Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Share of population living in the capital city was 19.6% in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
19.6%
World rank
70th
of 170 countries
All-time high
19.6%
in 2020
All-time low
2.9%
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh, 1950–2020

51015201950198520201950: 2.9 %1955: 3.1 %1960: 3.3 %1965: 4.1 %1970: 5.2 %1975: 6.5 %1980: 7.3 %1985: 8.3 %1990: 9.8 %1995: 11.2 %2000: 13 %2005: 14.5 %2010: 16.1 %2015: 17.8 %2020: 19.6 %

Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh stood at 19.6%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh peaked at 19.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 1950.

That places Bangladesh 70th out of 170 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh, 1950 to 2020.
Year % Change
1950 2.9%
1955 3.1% +7.2%
1960 3.3% +5.1%
1965 4.1% +23.8%
1970 5.2% +28.0%
1975 6.5% +23.4%
1980 7.3% +12.9%
1985 8.3% +14.2%
1990 9.8% +17.8%
1995 11.2% +13.6%
2000 13.0% +16.1%
2005 14.5% +11.9%
2010 16.1% +11.2%
2015 17.8% +10.2%
2020 19.6% +10.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 3.0% 2.9% 3.1% 2
1960s 3.7% 3.3% 4.1% 2
1970s 5.9% 5.2% 6.5% 2
1980s 7.8% 7.3% 8.3% 2
1990s 10.5% 9.8% 11.2% 2
2000s 13.7% 13.0% 14.5% 2
2010s 17.0% 16.1% 17.8% 2
2020s 19.6% 19.6% 19.6% 1

Countries ranked near Bangladesh

  1. 67 Paraguay 19.8% compare
  2. 68 Comoros 19.8% compare
  3. 69 Palestine, State of 19.7% compare
  4. 71 Colombia 19.6% compare
  5. 72 Nicaragua 19.5% compare
  6. 73 North Macedonia 19.1% compare

See the full ranking of 170 places →

More population data for Bangladesh

All data for Bangladesh →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh?
Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh was 19.6% 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 population living in the capital city recorded in Bangladesh?
The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2020.
What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Bangladesh?
The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 1950.
How does Bangladesh rank for share of population living in the capital city?
Bangladesh ranks 70th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Bangladesh?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bangladesh 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 population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population living in the capital city in Bangladesh. Statizoid, drawing on European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-the-capital-city/bangladesh/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in the capital 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
170 places, 2,330 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed

Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.