Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia
Latvia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 1.27 million people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.27 million people
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
148th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.89 million people
in 1989
All-time low
879,788 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia, 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
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia is 1.27 million people, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia peaked at 1.89 million people in 1989 and was at its lowest, 879,788 people, in 1950.
Latvia ranks 148th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 879,788 people | — |
| 1951 | 914,193 people | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 948,962 people | +3.8% |
| 1953 | 983,513 people | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 1.02 million people | +3.5% |
| 1955 | 1.05 million people | +3.4% |
| 1956 | 1.09 million people | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 1.12 million people | +3.0% |
| 1958 | 1.15 million people | +2.8% |
| 1959 | 1.18 million people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 1.22 million people | +2.8% |
| 1961 | 1.25 million people | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 1.27 million people | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 1.30 million people | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 1.33 million people | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 1.35 million people | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 1.38 million people | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 1.40 million people | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 1.43 million people | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 1.45 million people | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 1.48 million people | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 1.51 million people | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 1.53 million people | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 1.56 million people | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 1.59 million people | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 1.62 million people | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 1.64 million people | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 1.67 million people | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 1.69 million people | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 1.70 million people | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 1.72 million people | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.73 million people | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 1.75 million people | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 1.77 million people | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 1.79 million people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 1.81 million people | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 1.83 million people | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 1.86 million people | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 1.88 million people | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 1.89 million people | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 1.88 million people | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.87 million people | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 1.84 million people | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 1.79 million people | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 1.75 million people | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 1.72 million people | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 1.69 million people | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 1.67 million people | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 1.65 million people | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.63 million people | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 1.61 million people | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 1.59 million people | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 1.57 million people | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.56 million people | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 1.54 million people | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 1.52 million people | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 1.51 million people | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.49 million people | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 1.48 million people | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 1.45 million people | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 1.42 million people | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 1.40 million people | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.38 million people | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 1.37 million people | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 1.35 million people | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 1.34 million people | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 1.33 million people | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.32 million people | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 1.31 million people | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.30 million people | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.30 million people | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 1.29 million people | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.28 million people | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 1.29 million people | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.28 million people | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 1.27 million people | -0.8% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's 1.27 million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 57% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Latvia's 1.27 million people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.89 million people, 33% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.03 million people | 879,788 people | 1.18 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.34 million people | 1.22 million people | 1.45 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.60 million people | 1.48 million people | 1.70 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.80 million people | 1.72 million people | 1.89 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.75 million people | 1.63 million people | 1.88 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.53 million people | 1.45 million people | 1.61 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.35 million people | 1.30 million people | 1.42 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.28 million people | 1.27 million people | 1.30 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More population data for Latvia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.8064 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.55 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 31,860 people (2100)
- Population density 14.87 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.481 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.3147 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Latvia was 1.27 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 Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.89 million people in 1989.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 879,788 people in 1950.
- How does Latvia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Latvia ranks 148th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latvia 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.