Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia
Colombia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 42.09 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
42.09 million people
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
22nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
42.09 million people
in 2025
All-time low
4.56 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia, 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
Colombia recorded 42.09 million people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia peaked at 42.09 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.56 million people, in 1950.
Colombia ranks 22nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.56 million people | — |
| 1951 | 4.79 million people | +5.1% |
| 1952 | 5.03 million people | +5.1% |
| 1953 | 5.29 million people | +5.1% |
| 1954 | 5.56 million people | +5.1% |
| 1955 | 5.85 million people | +5.1% |
| 1956 | 6.15 million people | +5.1% |
| 1957 | 6.46 million people | +5.1% |
| 1958 | 6.79 million people | +5.1% |
| 1959 | 7.14 million people | +5.1% |
| 1960 | 7.51 million people | +5.2% |
| 1961 | 7.90 million people | +5.2% |
| 1962 | 8.31 million people | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 8.73 million people | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 9.17 million people | +5.0% |
| 1965 | 9.62 million people | +5.0% |
| 1966 | 10.10 million people | +4.9% |
| 1967 | 10.59 million people | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 11.09 million people | +4.7% |
| 1969 | 11.60 million people | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 12.11 million people | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 12.60 million people | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 13.09 million people | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 13.57 million people | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 14.03 million people | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 14.49 million people | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 14.95 million people | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 15.42 million people | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 15.91 million people | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 16.39 million people | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 16.90 million people | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 17.42 million people | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 17.95 million people | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 18.51 million people | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 19.08 million people | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 19.63 million people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 20.19 million people | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 20.76 million people | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 21.34 million people | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 21.93 million people | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 22.54 million people | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 23.15 million people | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 23.77 million people | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 24.41 million people | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 25.06 million people | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 25.72 million people | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 26.37 million people | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 27.04 million people | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 27.73 million people | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 28.41 million people | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 29.06 million people | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 29.70 million people | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 30.32 million people | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 30.92 million people | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 31.49 million people | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 32.02 million people | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 32.51 million people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 32.99 million people | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 33.46 million people | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 33.91 million people | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 34.35 million people | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 34.78 million people | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 35.17 million people | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 35.55 million people | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 35.90 million people | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 36.24 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 36.62 million people | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 37.17 million people | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 37.89 million people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 38.66 million people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 39.31 million people | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 39.84 million people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 40.38 million people | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 40.95 million people | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 41.53 million people | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 42.09 million people | +1.4% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 42.09 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.47 million people, 9.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 42.09 million people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.35 million people, 17.9× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.76 million people | 4.56 million people | 7.14 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.46 million people | 7.51 million people | 11.60 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.26 million people | 12.11 million people | 16.39 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.37 million people | 16.90 million people | 21.93 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.42 million people | 22.54 million people | 28.41 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.64 million people | 29.06 million people | 33.91 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.23 million people | 34.35 million people | 38.66 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.68 million people | 39.31 million people | 42.09 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More population data for Colombia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6442 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.66 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7218 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.83 million people (2100)
- Population density 42.43 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8769 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5501 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Colombia was 42.09 million 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.09 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.56 million people in 1950.
- How does Colombia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Colombia ranks 22nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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.