Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Population in the largest city was 21.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) recorded 21.7% for population in the largest city in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 22.1% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 18.9%, in 1961.
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 19th of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 18.9% | — |
| 1961 | 18.9% | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 19.0% | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 19.3% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 19.4% | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 19.5% | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 19.6% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 19.8% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 19.9% | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 20.1% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 20.1% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 20.1% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 20.2% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 20.2% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 20.3% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 20.4% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 20.4% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 20.5% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 20.6% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 20.5% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 20.5% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 20.5% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 20.4% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 20.4% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 20.3% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 20.3% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 20.3% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 20.2% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 20.2% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 20.1% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 20.0% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 20.0% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 20.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 20.2% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 20.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 20.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 20.5% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 20.5% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 20.5% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 20.6% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 20.8% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 20.9% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 21.1% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 21.2% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 21.4% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 21.6% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 22.1% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 22.0% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 21.5% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 21.1% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 20.8% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 20.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 20.9% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 20.8% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 20.9% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 20.9% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 21.7% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 21.7% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 21.7% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.3% | 18.9% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.3% | 20.1% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.4% | 20.2% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.2% | 20.0% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.2% | 20.5% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 20.8% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 20.9% | 21.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- 16 Uruguay 55.2% compare
- 17 North Macedonia 54.2% compare
- 18 Armenia 54.1% compare
- 19 Burkina Faso 50.6% compare
- 20 Mauritania 49.4% compare
- 21 Israel 49.3% compare
- 22 Latvia 48.6% compare
More urban development data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- Population density 42.1 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 24.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 99.0% (2017)
All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 21.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 22.1% in 2011.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.9% in 1961.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for population in the largest city?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 19th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 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.