Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries): Population in the largest city was 17.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 17.4%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 17.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1961.
That places Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 25th out of 43 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.4% | — |
| 1961 | 13.4% | -0.4% |
| 1962 | 13.4% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 13.4% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 13.4% | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 13.4% | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 13.4% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 13.5% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 13.6% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 13.6% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 13.7% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 13.8% | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 13.8% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 13.8% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 13.8% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 13.9% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 13.9% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 13.9% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 14.0% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 14.0% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 13.9% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 13.9% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 13.9% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 13.9% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 13.9% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 13.9% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 14.0% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 14.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 14.0% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 14.1% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 14.2% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 14.2% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 14.4% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 14.5% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 14.6% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 15.0% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 15.2% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 15.4% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 15.6% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 15.8% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 15.9% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 16.3% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 16.5% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 16.6% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 16.7% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 16.8% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 16.7% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 16.5% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 16.5% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 16.6% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 16.8% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 16.9% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 17.2% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 17.4% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 17.4% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 17.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.9% | 13.7% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.0% | 13.9% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.3% | 14.0% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.7% | 14.9% | 16.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.6% | 16.5% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 16.8% | 17.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
More urban development data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population density 19.95 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 19.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 96.7% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Population in the largest city in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) was 17.4% 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 17.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1961.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for population in the largest city?
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 25th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.
Download this data
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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.