Population in the largest city in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Population in the largest city was 18.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in the largest city in Ethiopia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in Ethiopia stood at 18.2%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Ethiopia peaked at 34.2% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 2025.
That places Ethiopia 122nd out of 153 countries 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.2% | — |
| 1961 | 33.7% | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 33.1% | -1.6% |
| 1963 | 32.6% | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 32.0% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 31.5% | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 31.0% | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 30.5% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 30.5% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 30.7% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 30.8% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 30.8% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 31.0% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 31.1% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 31.4% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 31.7% | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 32.2% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 32.9% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 33.0% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 32.7% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 32.7% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 32.7% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 32.4% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 32.0% | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 31.5% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 30.7% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 30.1% | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 29.5% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 28.7% | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 28.1% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 27.7% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 27.4% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 26.8% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 26.1% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 25.4% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 24.8% | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 24.2% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 23.6% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 23.1% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 22.0% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 21.5% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 21.0% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 20.0% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 19.8% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 19.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 19.5% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 19.4% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 19.0% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 18.9% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 18.8% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 18.6% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 18.3% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 18.2% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.0% | 30.5% | 34.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 31.1% | 30.6% | 32.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.1% | 30.1% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.9% | 24.2% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.5% | 19.8% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 18.7% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 18.2% | 18.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More urban development data for Ethiopia
- Population density 114.04 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.044 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 5.96 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 4.84 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 5.96 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 17.07 million current US$ (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Ethiopia?
- Population in the largest city in Ethiopia was 18.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 34.2% in 1960.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 2025.
- How does Ethiopia rank for population in the largest city?
- Ethiopia ranks 122nd out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.