Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 22.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
22.3%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
225th
of 236 countries
All-time high
24.9%
in 2016
All-time low
5.6%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu is 22.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu peaked at 24.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 1950.
Vanuatu ranks 225th 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.6% | — |
| 1951 | 5.8% | +3.5% |
| 1952 | 6.0% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 6.2% | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 6.5% | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 6.7% | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 6.9% | +3.6% |
| 1957 | 7.2% | +3.6% |
| 1958 | 7.4% | +3.5% |
| 1959 | 7.7% | +3.5% |
| 1960 | 8.0% | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 8.2% | +3.4% |
| 1962 | 8.5% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 8.8% | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 9.1% | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 9.4% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 9.7% | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 10.0% | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 10.3% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 10.7% | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 11.0% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 11.4% | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 11.7% | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 12.1% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 12.5% | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 12.8% | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 13.2% | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 14.0% | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 14.4% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 15.2% | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 15.6% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 16.0% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 16.5% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 16.9% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 17.3% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 17.7% | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 18.4% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 18.8% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 19.1% | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 19.4% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 20.5% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 20.8% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 21.1% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 21.7% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 21.9% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 22.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 23.0% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 23.6% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 23.9% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 24.8% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 24.8% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 24.3% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 22.3% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 22.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 22.3% | +0.2% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 22.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 22.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 34% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.6% | 5.6% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.3% | 8.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 11.0% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 14.8% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.1% | 18.8% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.7% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.6% | 23.5% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 222 Antigua and Barbuda 24.3% compare
- 223 Ethiopia 24.1% compare
- 224 Micronesia (country) 22.5% compare
- 226 South Sudan 21.7% compare
- 227 Tonga 21.2% compare
- 228 Sri Lanka 20.5% compare
More population data for Vanuatu
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7815 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5164 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 578.57 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.2 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2172 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 71.82 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 59,723 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Vanuatu was 22.3% 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2016.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 1950.
- How does Vanuatu rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Vanuatu ranks 225th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.