Share of the population living in cities in China
China: Share of the population living in cities was 43.53 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
43.53
World rank
87th
of 236 countries
All-time high
43.53
in 2020
All-time low
11.78
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020
Share of the population living in cities in China, 1950–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
China recorded 43.53 for share of the population living in cities in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population living in cities in China peaked at 43.53 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11.78, in 1950.
China ranks 87th of 236 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 the population living in cities in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.78 | — |
| 1955 | 13.89 | +17.9% |
| 1960 | 16.34 | +17.7% |
| 1965 | 18.66 | +14.2% |
| 1970 | 21.4 | +14.7% |
| 1975 | 24.52 | +14.6% |
| 1980 | 25.48 | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 26.73 | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 28.6 | +7.0% |
| 1995 | 32.34 | +13.1% |
| 2000 | 37.08 | +14.7% |
| 2005 | 38.85 | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 40.24 | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 41.94 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 43.53 | +3.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 43.53 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.27, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 43.53 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 30.69, 1.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.83 | 11.78 | 13.89 | 2 |
| 1960s | 17.5 | 16.34 | 18.66 | 2 |
| 1970s | 22.96 | 21.4 | 24.52 | 2 |
| 1980s | 26.1 | 25.48 | 26.73 | 2 |
| 1990s | 30.47 | 28.6 | 32.34 | 2 |
| 2000s | 37.96 | 37.08 | 38.85 | 2 |
| 2010s | 41.09 | 40.24 | 41.94 | 2 |
| 2020s | 43.53 | 43.53 | 43.53 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.68 (2100)
- Population density 67.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 15.54 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population living in cities in China?
- Share of the population living in cities in China was 43.53 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population living in cities recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 43.53 in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population living in cities recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.78 in 1950.
- How does China rank for share of the population living in cities?
- China ranks 87th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population living in cities rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population living in cities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).