Population in the largest city in Arab World
Arab World: Population in the largest city was 27.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in the largest city in Arab World, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in Arab World stood at 27.6%.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Arab World peaked at 35.9% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 2015.
That places Arab World 6th out of 43 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.4% | — |
| 1961 | 34.5% | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 34.6% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 34.8% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 35.0% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 35.4% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 35.6% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 35.5% | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 35.5% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 35.5% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 35.5% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 35.5% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 35.6% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 35.7% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 35.8% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 35.9% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 35.7% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 35.4% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 35.0% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 34.5% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 34.0% | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 33.6% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 33.2% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 32.7% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 32.3% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 32.0% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 31.6% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 31.4% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 31.4% | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 31.3% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 31.3% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 31.4% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 31.5% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 31.4% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 31.3% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 31.2% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 31.1% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 31.0% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 30.8% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 30.7% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 30.3% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 30.2% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 30.1% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 29.8% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 29.4% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 28.9% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 28.8% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 28.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 28.4% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 28.1% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 27.8% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 27.6% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 27.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 27.6% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 28.0% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 28.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 28.0% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 28.1% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 28.0% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 27.8% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 27.7% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 27.6% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35.1% | 34.4% | 35.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.5% | 34.5% | 35.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.3% | 31.3% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.2% | 30.7% | 31.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.6% | 28.8% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.0% | 27.6% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.9% | 27.6% | 28.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More urban development data for Arab World
- Population density 36.8 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 38.92 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Arab World?
- Population in the largest city in Arab World was 27.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 35.9% in 1975.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 2015.
- How does Arab World rank for population in the largest city?
- Arab World ranks 6th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.