Data for 1953
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953
1953, as UN DESA Population Division’s 2025 release gives it · stored as published, never rewritten
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953 covers 222 countries on 3 measures. Vatican City is highest, at 100.000; 78 countries share the lowest reading, 0.000. The middle country reads 10.266. Against 1952, 143 values changed (133 up, 10 down), the same countries are covered.
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation) · Data for 1953
HighestVatican City
100.000Lowest78 countries share it
0.000Shaded by value in five groups of equal size, darkest at the highest end. Neither end is better. The values describe a shape, not a score.
01Values only
The table
Every country and every column of Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953, as published. The file carries values only, so no position is shown. “=” marks a shared position.
Showing 25 of 222 countries · select a heading to sort
| 100.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
| 90.105 | 9.266 | 0.629 | |
| 88.878 | 8.871 | 2.250 | |
| 86.879 | 12.819 | 0.302 | |
| 65.813 | 24.833 | 9.354 | |
| 55.595 | 28.601 | 15.805 | |
| 46.387 | 34.307 | 19.306 | |
| 46.011 | 40.867 | 13.123 | |
| 43.928 | 42.743 | 13.329 | |
| 42.735 | 44.449 | 12.816 | |
| 42.483 | 30.816 | 26.700 | |
| 42.270 | 31.925 | 25.805 | |
| 42.103 | 24.508 | 33.388 | |
| 39.961 | 47.912 | 12.127 | |
| 38.648 | 40.777 | 20.576 | |
| 37.804 | 39.511 | 22.685 | |
| 35.977 | 36.682 | 27.341 | |
| 35.514 | 45.001 | 19.486 | |
| 34.488 | 45.886 | 19.626 | |
| 34.347 | 48.347 | 17.306 | |
| 33.906 | 29.853 | 36.241 | |
| 33.200 | 39.164 | 27.636 | |
| 32.598 | 34.763 | 32.640 | |
| 32.515 | 27.893 | 39.592 | |
| 32.018 | 49.742 | 18.240 | |
| 31.990 | 35.443 | 32.567 | |
| 31.947 | 53.621 | 14.432 | |
| 31.701 | 40.807 | 27.492 | |
| 31.423 | 22.007 | 46.570 | |
| 31.415 | 27.502 | 41.082 | |
| 31.244 | 17.931 | 50.824 | |
| 30.612 | 39.158 | 30.230 | |
| 30.471 | 20.268 | 49.262 | |
| 30.293 | 38.942 | 30.765 | |
| 30.166 | 21.520 | 48.314 | |
| 29.839 | 29.236 | 40.925 | |
| 28.681 | 38.566 | 32.753 | |
| 28.463 | 43.556 | 27.981 | |
| 28.423 | 33.996 | 37.581 | |
| 26.917 | 43.990 | 29.094 | |
| 26.699 | 31.903 | 41.398 | |
| 26.588 | 32.260 | 41.152 | |
| 26.166 | 24.419 | 49.415 | |
| 26.070 | 40.808 | 33.122 | |
| 25.882 | 32.105 | 42.013 | |
| 25.682 | 18.223 | 56.095 | |
| 25.017 | 49.253 | 25.730 | |
| 24.826 | 47.050 | 28.123 | |
| 24.567 | 25.894 | 49.539 | |
| 23.561 | 35.999 | 40.440 | |
| 22.817 | 31.767 | 45.416 | |
| 22.039 | 32.341 | 45.620 | |
| 21.841 | 43.568 | 34.591 | |
| 21.796 | 39.035 | 39.170 | |
| 21.497 | 27.673 | 50.830 | |
| 21.379 | 39.182 | 39.438 | |
| 21.327 | 21.491 | 57.181 | |
| 20.803 | 29.745 | 49.452 | |
| 20.757 | 38.284 | 40.959 | |
| 20.740 | 22.887 | 56.373 | |
| 20.687 | 40.175 | 39.138 | |
| 20.578 | 42.296 | 37.126 | |
| 20.561 | 31.972 | 47.467 | |
| 20.417 | 33.664 | 45.918 | |
| 20.398 | 19.426 | 60.176 | |
| 19.602 | 34.300 | 46.098 | |
| 19.598 | 37.239 | 43.163 | |
| 19.531 | 41.079 | 39.390 | |
| 19.304 | 42.250 | 38.446 | |
| 19.244 | 28.863 | 51.893 | |
| 19.096 | 31.592 | 49.312 | |
| 19.030 | 51.213 | 29.757 | |
| 18.974 | 35.236 | 45.791 | |
| 18.779 | 41.636 | 39.585 | |
| 18.655 | 27.657 | 53.687 | |
| 18.508 | 22.819 | 58.673 | |
| 18.428 | 37.504 | 44.069 | |
| 18.214 | 41.003 | 40.784 | |
| 18.039 | 19.740 | 62.221 | |
| 17.943 | 34.306 | 47.751 | |
| 17.498 | 42.318 | 40.184 | |
| 17.462 | 38.077 | 44.461 | |
| 16.948 | 44.068 | 38.984 | |
| 16.734 | 41.570 | 41.697 | |
| 16.534 | 34.929 | 48.538 | |
| 16.034 | 37.236 | 46.729 | |
| 16.005 | 31.538 | 52.457 | |
| 15.686 | 28.782 | 55.533 | |
| 15.111 | 42.385 | 42.504 | |
| 14.897 | 62.870 | 22.234 | |
| 14.691 | 36.323 | 48.986 | |
| 14.092 | 33.883 | 52.025 | |
| 13.850 | 47.082 | 39.069 | |
| 13.715 | 36.021 | 50.264 | |
| 13.517 | 35.206 | 51.276 | |
| 13.096 | 52.737 | 34.167 | |
| 12.868 | 38.693 | 48.439 | |
| 12.843 | 28.368 | 58.789 | |
| 12.818 | 39.066 | 48.116 | |
| 12.782 | 34.081 | 53.137 | |
| 12.759 | 38.748 | 48.493 | |
| 12.603 | 51.488 | 35.910 | |
| 12.564 | 43.098 | 44.338 | |
| 12.439 | 38.556 | 49.005 | |
| 12.314 | 34.624 | 53.062 | |
| 12.038 | 34.725 | 53.238 | |
| 11.911 | 47.619 | 40.470 | |
| 11.618 | 28.393 | 59.989 | |
| 11.180 | 54.573 | 34.247 | |
| 10.944 | 34.988 | 54.067 | |
| 10.426 | 27.329 | 62.245 | |
| 10.106 | 17.238 | 72.656 | |
| 9.749 | 36.853 | 53.398 | |
| 9.677 | 38.737 | 51.586 | |
| 9.148 | 50.275 | 40.576 | |
| 9.128 | 15.086 | 75.786 | |
| 9.043 | 28.411 | 62.547 | |
| 8.849 | 30.496 | 60.655 | |
| 7.976 | 66.485 | 25.539 | |
| 7.445 | 48.877 | 43.677 | |
| 7.373 | 34.943 | 57.685 | |
| 7.193 | 25.548 | 67.259 | |
| 6.912 | 39.636 | 53.452 | |
| 6.498 | 42.661 | 50.841 | |
| 6.253 | 42.314 | 51.433 | |
| 5.806 | 53.139 | 41.055 | |
| 5.467 | 29.839 | 64.695 | |
| 5.068 | 22.386 | 72.547 | |
| 3.959 | 44.082 | 51.959 | |
| 3.947 | 32.031 | 64.022 | |
| 3.733 | 34.150 | 62.118 | |
| 3.539 | 20.675 | 75.786 | |
| 3.132 | 12.608 | 84.260 | |
| 3.122 | 31.192 | 65.686 | |
| 3.095 | 11.679 | 85.226 | |
| 3.004 | 36.884 | 60.112 | |
| 2.686 | 26.501 | 70.814 | |
| 2.682 | 10.848 | 86.470 | |
| 2.573 | 30.542 | 66.885 | |
| 2.363 | 44.112 | 53.524 | |
| 1.802 | 10.347 | 87.851 | |
| 1.749 | 49.890 | 48.361 | |
| 0.855 | 14.722 | 84.423 | |
| 0.719 | 24.242 | 75.039 | |
| 0.000 | 56.886 | 43.114 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 52.050 | 47.950 | |
| 0.000 | 81.766 | 18.234 | |
| 0.000 | 49.527 | 50.473 | |
| 0.000 | 92.807 | 7.193 | |
| 0.000 | 38.661 | 61.339 | |
| 0.000 | 89.719 | 10.281 | |
| 0.000 | 11.806 | 88.194 | |
| 0.000 | 47.404 | 52.596 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 39.558 | 60.442 | |
| 0.000 | 36.345 | 63.655 | |
| 0.000 | 58.039 | 41.961 | |
| 0.000 | 27.747 | 72.253 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 46.773 | 53.227 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 82.775 | 17.225 | |
| 0.000 | 42.794 | 57.206 | |
| 0.000 | 40.419 | 59.581 | |
| 0.000 | 56.721 | 43.279 | |
| 0.000 | 11.002 | 88.998 | |
| 0.000 | 31.594 | 68.406 | |
| 0.000 | 32.177 | 67.823 | |
| 0.000 | 38.580 | 61.420 | |
| 0.000 | 69.089 | 30.911 | |
| 0.000 | 32.448 | 67.552 | |
| 0.000 | 100.000 | 0.000 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 64.242 | 35.758 | |
| 0.000 | 49.261 | 50.739 | |
| 0.000 | 42.806 | 57.194 | |
| 0.000 | 46.822 | 53.178 | |
| 0.000 | 53.531 | 46.469 | |
| 0.000 | 25.096 | 74.904 | |
| 0.000 | 46.993 | 53.007 | |
| 0.000 | 14.073 | 85.927 | |
| 0.000 | 38.460 | 61.540 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 7.934 | 92.066 | |
| 0.000 | 13.494 | 86.506 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 19.679 | 80.321 | |
| 0.000 | 9.383 | 90.617 | |
| 0.000 | 100.000 | 0.000 | |
| 0.000 | 95.402 | 4.598 | |
| 0.000 | 20.058 | 79.942 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 36.779 | 63.221 | |
| 0.000 | 28.648 | 71.352 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 32.914 | 67.086 | |
| 0.000 | 41.125 | 58.875 | |
| 0.000 | 10.027 | 89.973 | |
| 0.000 | 57.689 | 42.311 | |
| 0.000 | 44.240 | 55.760 | |
| 0.000 | 66.530 | 33.470 | |
| 0.000 | 64.506 | 35.494 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 67.864 | 32.136 | |
| 0.000 | 37.314 | 62.686 | |
| 0.000 | 71.561 | 28.439 | |
| 0.000 | 78.164 | 21.836 | |
| 0.000 | 65.607 | 34.393 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 5.678 | 94.322 | |
| 0.000 | 45.553 | 54.447 | |
| 0.000 | 11.781 | 88.219 | |
| 0.000 | 52.493 | 47.507 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 57.535 | 42.465 | |
| 0.000 | 43.056 | 56.944 | |
| 0.000 | 0.000 | 100.000 | |
| 0.000 | 45.593 | 54.407 |
02In 1953
At either end
The 5 countries at each end of the headline, then the highest and lowest on each other measure.
Highest
Vatican City100.000
Macau90.105
Hong Kong88.878
Singapore86.879
Malta65.813
Lowest
Zambiashared0.000
Kosovoshared0.000
Samoashared0.000
Vanuatushared0.000
United States Virgin Islandsshared0.000
Neither end is better. The values describe a shape, not a score. The middle country reads 10.266. “Shared” marks a value another country also holds.
Each measure’s ends
Population in towns and semi-dense areas (%)
Highest2 share it
Lowest17 share it
Middle country: 36.010
Population in rural areas (%)
Highest16 share it
Lowest3 share it
Middle country: 48.996
031952 → 1953
Since 1952
What changed between 1952 and this one: who joined or left, and how far the headline moved.
- +0 / −0countries joined / left
- 143values changed, of 222 in both
- 133 · 10rose · fell
- 79unchanged
Rose most
Montenegro5.415 → 7.976+2.561
Jamaica40.179 → 42.103+1.924
Kuwait38.319 → 39.961+1.642
Palestine23.732 → 25.017+1.285
Taiwan42.753 → 43.928+1.175
Fell most
North Korea34.690 → 34.347−0.343
Azerbaijan26.152 → 25.882−0.270
Denmark26.640 → 26.588−0.052
Uruguay46.431 → 46.387−0.044
United Kingdom55.637 → 55.595−0.042
Both years come from the same release, so a difference here is a change in the data, not a revision of it. Every country’s full history is charted on the statistic page.
04Caveats
Read before you use
What this edition’s numbers are and are not, worked out from the file itself.
One year of the 2025 release
Every year in this series comes from UN DESA Population Division’s 2025 release, recalculated on one method. It can differ from what was first published for 1953.
145 distinct values among 222
Values are stored exactly as published, to 3 decimals. 78 countries share 0.000. Countries sharing a value share a position too.
Which end is better
Neither end is better. The values describe a shape, not a score.
Nothing missing
Every one of the 222 countries has every column.
05The files
Download and cite
The table as a file, digit for digit, what this site changed, and a citation for this edition.
- .csv
For a spreadsheet or code
222 rows · 8.9 KB · UTF-8, opens in Excel
Opens with 11 lines of source notes; the table starts on row 13.
Download population-in-cities-1953-nations-inquiry.csv - ↗
The publisher’s original
UN DESA Population Division’s own file, on its own site.
WUP2025-F02-Degree-of-Urbanization_percPop_by_category.xlsx
What this site changed: Reshaped into one row per country: regional and income-group totals are left out, only the columns listed are kept, each row gets its ISO 3166 code, and some country names are brought to one spelling. No value is recalculated, rescaled or rounded.
Licence: CC BY 3.0 IGO. The version of CC BY written for intergovernmental organisations. Credit the publisher and say what you changed.
Cite this edition
UN DESA Population Division (1953). Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953 [data set], describing 1953. As held by Nations Inquiry, https://nationsinquiry.com/datasets/population-in-cities/1953
0676 held
Other years
‹ The year before
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1952222 countries
The year after ›
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1954222 countries
All of them
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation): every year76 held, with the data dictionary, coverage and licence.
How it has moved, charted by country
07Questions
Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953: questions and answers
Which country has the highest population living in cities in Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953?
Vatican City, at 100.000, of the 222 countries in the file.
What year does Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953 describe?
1953.
How many countries does Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953 cover?
222.
Where can I download Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953?
On this page, as a CSV file holding every value exactly as published, or from the publisher’s own site, linked below.
Is Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 1953 the newest?
No. The newest held here is Population Living in Cities (Degree of Urbanisation), 2025.