Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil
Brazil: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 88.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
88.2%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
47th
of 236 countries
All-time high
88.2%
in 2025
All-time low
36.5%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil is 88.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil peaked at 88.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 36.5%, in 1950.
Brazil ranks 47th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 36.5% | — |
| 1951 | 37.3% | +2.2% |
| 1952 | 38.1% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 38.9% | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 39.8% | +2.1% |
| 1955 | 40.6% | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 41.4% | +2.0% |
| 1957 | 42.2% | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 43.0% | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 43.8% | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 44.7% | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 45.5% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 46.3% | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 47.1% | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 47.9% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 48.7% | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 49.5% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 50.3% | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 51.2% | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 52.2% | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 53.2% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 54.3% | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 55.7% | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 57.1% | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 58.7% | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 60.3% | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 61.9% | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 63.5% | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 65.0% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 66.3% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 67.4% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 68.4% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 69.3% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 70.1% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 70.9% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 71.6% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 72.3% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 73.0% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 73.6% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 74.2% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 74.9% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 76.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 76.6% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 77.2% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 77.7% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 78.3% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 79.0% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 79.8% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 80.5% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 81.1% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 81.6% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 82.0% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 82.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 83.0% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 83.3% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 83.5% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 83.8% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 84.1% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 84.3% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 84.6% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 84.9% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 85.2% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 85.4% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 85.7% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 85.9% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 86.2% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 86.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 86.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 86.9% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 87.1% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 87.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 87.9% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 88.2% | +0.3% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 88.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 88.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 72.0%, 1.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 40.2% | 36.5% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 48.3% | 44.7% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.6% | 53.2% | 66.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.1% | 67.4% | 74.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.6% | 74.9% | 80.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.7% | 81.1% | 84.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.5% | 84.3% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.5% | 86.9% | 88.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More population data for Brazil
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5984 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7328 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2798 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7328 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.45 million people (2100)
- Population density 19.55 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8366 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4122 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Brazil was 88.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 88.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.5% in 1950.
- How does Brazil rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Brazil ranks 47th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.