Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Bhutan
Bhutan: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 346,000 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Bhutan, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 346,000 people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Bhutan peaked at 346,000 people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3,543 people, in 1950.
That places Bhutan 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4,354 people | 3,543 people | 5,307 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 7,042 people | 5,563 people | 8,968 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 24,902 people | 9,763 people | 46,836 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 80,538 people | 52,735 people | 111,419 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 133,938 people | 119,051 people | 156,659 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 199,540 people | 164,684 people | 231,373 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 268,375 people | 237,890 people | 298,853 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 324,826 people | 305,607 people | 346,000 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More population data for Bhutan
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 27,662 people (2100)
- Population density 18.1 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.45 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.7% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.46 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 1.46 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Bhutan?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Bhutan was 346,000 people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 346,000 people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,543 people in 1950.
- How does Bhutan rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Bhutan ranks 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.