Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan
Bhutan: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 43.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
43.4%
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
181st
of 238 countries
All-time high
43.4%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan is 43.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan peaked at 43.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Bhutan ranks 181st of 238 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 1.3% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 1.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 2.1% | +14.2% |
| 1951 | 2.1% | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 2.1% | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 2.2% | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 2.2% | +1.7% |
| 1955 | 2.3% | +1.8% |
| 1956 | 2.3% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 2.3% | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 2.4% | +1.9% |
| 1959 | 2.4% | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 2.5% | +1.9% |
| 1961 | 2.5% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 3.0% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 3.2% | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +11.0% |
| 1972 | 4.1% | +16.6% |
| 1973 | 4.9% | +18.7% |
| 1974 | 5.8% | +18.7% |
| 1975 | 6.8% | +17.6% |
| 1976 | 7.9% | +16.0% |
| 1977 | 9.0% | +14.2% |
| 1978 | 10.1% | +12.4% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 12.2% | +8.9% |
| 1981 | 13.0% | +7.2% |
| 1982 | 13.9% | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 14.7% | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 15.5% | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 16.3% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 17.1% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 17.9% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 18.6% | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 19.4% | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 20.2% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 21.0% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 21.7% | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 22.5% | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 23.3% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 24.0% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 24.7% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 25.5% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 26.2% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 26.9% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 27.6% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 28.3% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 29.0% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 29.6% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 30.3% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 30.9% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 31.6% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 32.2% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 32.8% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 33.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 33.9% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 34.5% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 35.0% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 35.6% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 36.1% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 36.7% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 37.3% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 37.9% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 38.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 39.1% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 39.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 40.3% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 40.9% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 41.7% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 42.6% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 43.4% | +2.0% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 43.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 85% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 43.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 39.1%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.6% | 3.2% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.8% | 12.2% | 19.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.6% | 20.2% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.6% | 27.6% | 33.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.4% | 33.9% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 39.7% | 43.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More population data for Bhutan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.716 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0644 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.716 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.7852 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 874.29 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5776 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5679 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 18.1 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 27,662 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Bhutan was 43.4% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050 recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Bhutan rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Bhutan ranks 181st out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); 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 areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.