Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Bhutan
Bhutan: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 43.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
43.4%
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
179th
of 236 countries
All-time high
43.4%
in 2025
All-time low
2.1%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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 %.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 43.4% for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is 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 vs. gdp per capita in Bhutan peaked at 43.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 1950.
Bhutan ranks 179th of 236 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 vs. GDP per capita in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.1% | — |
| 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)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 vs. gdp per capita in Bhutan?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Bhutan was 43.4% 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 areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 43.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 1950.
- How does Bhutan rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Bhutan ranks 179th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 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 vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.