Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Maldives
Maldives: Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita was 56.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Maldives, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Maldives recorded 56.5% for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Maldives peaked at 56.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 1950.
Maldives 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.
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Maldives, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.9% | — |
| 1955 | 13.9% | +7.8% |
| 1960 | 15.2% | +9.3% |
| 1965 | 16.7% | +10.2% |
| 1970 | 19.0% | +13.9% |
| 1975 | 21.3% | +11.7% |
| 1980 | 29.6% | +39.1% |
| 1985 | 33.0% | +11.5% |
| 1990 | 40.3% | +22.1% |
| 1995 | 41.3% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 42.5% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 44.8% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 47.8% | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 50.8% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 56.5% | +11.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 12.9% | 13.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 15.9% | 15.2% | 16.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 20.2% | 19.0% | 21.3% | 2 |
| 1980s | 31.3% | 29.6% | 33.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 40.8% | 40.3% | 41.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 43.6% | 42.5% | 44.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 47.8% | 50.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 56.5% | 56.5% | 56.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More population data for Maldives
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.3006 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.44 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.3006 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.378 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 569.91 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1872 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2781 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.3% (2100)
- Population density 1,583 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 21,159 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Maldives?
- Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Maldives was 56.5% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 1950.
- How does Maldives rank for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita?
- Maldives ranks 191st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Maldives 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 Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.