Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar
Madagascar: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 32.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
32.9%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
204th
of 236 countries
All-time high
32.9%
in 2025
All-time low
7.8%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar, 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 Madagascar is 32.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar peaked at 32.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1950.
Madagascar ranks 204th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom 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 Madagascar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.8% | — |
| 1951 | 8.1% | +3.7% |
| 1952 | 8.4% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 8.7% | +3.5% |
| 1954 | 9.0% | +3.5% |
| 1955 | 9.3% | +3.4% |
| 1956 | 9.6% | +3.3% |
| 1957 | 9.9% | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 10.2% | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 10.5% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 10.8% | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 11.2% | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 11.5% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 11.8% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 12.1% | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 12.4% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 12.7% | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 13.1% | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 13.4% | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 13.7% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 14.1% | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 14.5% | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 15.0% | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 15.6% | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 16.1% | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 16.5% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 16.9% | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 17.3% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 17.7% | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 18.1% | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 18.5% | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 18.9% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 19.2% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 19.9% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 20.3% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 20.6% | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 20.9% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 21.3% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 21.6% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 21.9% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 22.2% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 22.5% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 22.9% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 23.2% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 23.5% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 23.8% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 24.1% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 24.4% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 24.7% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 25.0% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 25.3% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 25.6% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 25.9% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 26.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 26.8% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 27.0% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 27.3% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 27.6% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 27.9% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 28.1% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 28.4% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 28.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 28.9% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 29.2% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 29.4% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 29.7% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 29.9% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 30.3% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 30.7% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 31.1% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 31.5% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 32.0% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 32.4% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 32.9% | +1.4% |
Madagascar compared with similar countries
- Madagascar's 32.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 95% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Madagascar's 32.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.2% | 7.8% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.3% | 10.8% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.2% | 14.1% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.1% | 18.5% | 21.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.3% | 21.9% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.3% | 25.0% | 27.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.0% | 27.9% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.8% | 30.7% | 32.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
More population data for Madagascar
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.153 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2896 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 146.69 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.06 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 3.9 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Madagascar was 32.9% 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 Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 32.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1950.
- How does Madagascar rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Madagascar ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Madagascar 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.