Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Somalia
Somalia: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 55.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
55.1%
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
158th
of 236 countries
All-time high
55.1%
in 2025
All-time low
12.9%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Somalia, 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
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Somalia is 55.1%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Somalia peaked at 55.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 1950.
Somalia ranks 158th 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.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.9% | — |
| 1951 | 13.3% | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 13.7% | +3.4% |
| 1953 | 14.2% | +3.4% |
| 1954 | 14.7% | +3.4% |
| 1955 | 15.2% | +3.3% |
| 1956 | 15.7% | +3.2% |
| 1957 | 16.2% | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 16.7% | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 17.2% | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 17.7% | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 18.2% | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 18.7% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 19.2% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 20.9% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 21.5% | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 22.1% | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 22.7% | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 23.2% | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 23.8% | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 24.3% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 24.8% | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 25.2% | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 25.5% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 25.8% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 26.1% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 26.4% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 26.6% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 26.8% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 27.1% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 27.3% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 27.5% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 27.7% | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 28.0% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 28.2% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 28.5% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 28.8% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 29.1% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 29.4% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 29.7% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 30.0% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 30.4% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 30.7% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 31.1% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 31.4% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 31.8% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 32.2% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 32.6% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 33.1% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 33.5% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 34.0% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 35.0% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 35.5% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 36.0% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 36.6% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 37.2% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 39.4% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 40.3% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 41.3% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 42.4% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 43.9% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 45.9% | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 51.0% | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 51.6% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 52.3% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 52.9% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 54.1% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 54.6% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 55.1% | +1.0% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 55.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 55.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.0% | 12.9% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.1% | 17.7% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.2% | 23.2% | 26.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.9% | 26.8% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.9% | 29.4% | 32.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.3% | 33.1% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.3% | 38.6% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.8% | 52.3% | 55.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More population data for Somalia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.4952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.14 million people (2100)
- Population density 107.38 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3207 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.89 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Somalia?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Somalia was 55.1% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 1950.
- How does Somalia rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Somalia ranks 158th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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.