Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles
Seychelles: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 45.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.5%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
173rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
49.4%
in 1977
All-time low
27.4%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles, 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
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles stood at 45.5%.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles peaked at 49.4% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 27.4%, in 1950.
That places Seychelles 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Seychelles, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 27.4% | — |
| 1951 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 27.5% | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 27.5% | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 27.5% | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 27.5% | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 27.5% | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 27.7% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 28.2% | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 29.0% | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 30.1% | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 31.3% | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 32.7% | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 34.2% | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 35.7% | +4.5% |
| 1969 | 37.2% | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 38.7% | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 40.1% | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 41.7% | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 43.7% | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 45.8% | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 47.6% | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 48.9% | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 49.4% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 49.3% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 49.3% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 48.9% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 48.7% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 48.4% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 48.1% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 47.7% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 46.9% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 45.4% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 44.4% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 44.0% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 43.6% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 43.4% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 43.2% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 43.0% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 42.9% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 42.9% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 42.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 42.7% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 42.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 42.7% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 42.7% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 42.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 42.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 42.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 42.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 43.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 43.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 43.5% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 43.7% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 44.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 44.3% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 44.6% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 44.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 45.1% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 45.3% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 45.5% | +0.4% |
Seychelles compared with similar countries
- Seychelles's 45.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 56% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Seychelles's 45.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 27.4% | 27.4% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 31.4% | 27.5% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 45.5% | 38.7% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.3% | 49.1% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.6% | 43.6% | 48.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.9% | 42.7% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.1% | 42.7% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.9% | 44.3% | 45.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Seychelles
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 171 Sierra Leone 45.9% compare
- 172 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 174 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 175 Lesotho 44.7% compare
- 176 Central African Republic 44.6% compare
More population data for Seychelles
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.366 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.553 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.366 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 116.64 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.3959 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7568 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Population density 252.12 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5,508 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Seychelles was 45.5% 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 Seychelles?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4% in 1977.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Seychelles?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.4% in 1950.
- How does Seychelles rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Seychelles ranks 173rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Seychelles?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Seychelles 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.