Population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Population in the largest city was 11.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific stood at 11.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 19.8% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 2021.
That places East Asia & Pacific 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 17.6% | — |
| 1961 | 18.1% | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 19.3% | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 19.6% | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 18.9% | -3.5% |
| 1965 | 19.1% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 19.2% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 19.3% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 19.4% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 19.4% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 19.5% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 19.6% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 19.7% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 19.7% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 19.8% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 19.5% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 19.5% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 19.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 19.5% | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 19.1% | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 19.1% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 18.8% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 18.7% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 18.2% | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 17.7% | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 17.5% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 17.3% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 17.1% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 17.0% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 16.9% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 17.0% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 16.7% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 16.5% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 16.3% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 16.2% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 16.0% | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 14.8% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 14.1% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 13.9% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 13.6% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 13.4% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 13.2% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 12.8% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 12.6% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 12.5% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 12.4% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 12.3% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 12.0% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 11.9% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 11.7% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 11.5% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 11.4% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 11.2% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 11.1% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 11.1% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 11.1% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 11.2% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 11.3% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 11.3% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.0% | 17.6% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.6% | 19.1% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.8% | 16.9% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.9% | 14.5% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.1% | 12.4% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 11.1% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 34 Bangladesh 42.2% compare
- 35 Azerbaijan 41.5% compare
- 36 Central African Republic 41.4% compare
- 37 Chile 39.5% compare
- 38 Madagascar 39.3% compare
- 39 Mali 39.2% compare
- 40 Oman 39.0% compare
More urban development data for East Asia & Pacific
- Population density 97.52 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 27.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 96.9% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific?
- Population in the largest city in East Asia & Pacific was 11.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 1974.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 2021.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for population in the largest city?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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.