Population in the largest city in Madagascar
Madagascar: Population in the largest city was 39.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
39.3%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
38th
of 153 countries
All-time high
45.5%
in 1960
All-time low
30.8%
in 2005
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Madagascar, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
Madagascar recorded 39.3% for population in the largest city in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Madagascar peaked at 45.5% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 30.8%, in 2005.
That places Madagascar 38th out of 153 countries 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 Madagascar, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 45.5% | — |
| 1961 | 44.5% | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 43.7% | -2.0% |
| 1963 | 42.8% | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 42.0% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 41.2% | -1.8% |
| 1966 | 40.5% | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 40.1% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 39.6% | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 39.1% | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 38.6% | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 37.8% | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 37.1% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 36.5% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 35.9% | -1.6% |
| 1975 | 35.5% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 35.3% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 35.1% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 35.0% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 34.9% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 34.8% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 34.8% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 34.8% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 34.9% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 35.0% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 35.1% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 35.2% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 35.4% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 35.6% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 35.7% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 35.9% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 36.1% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 36.3% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 36.4% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 36.0% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 35.4% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 34.9% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 34.4% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 33.4% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 33.0% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 32.6% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 31.6% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 31.2% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 30.8% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 31.1% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 31.5% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 31.9% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 32.3% | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 32.7% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 33.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 33.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 34.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 34.7% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 35.3% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 35.9% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 37.5% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 37.9% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 38.2% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 38.5% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 38.8% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 39.1% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 39.3% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 41.9% | 39.1% | 45.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 36.2% | 34.9% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.1% | 34.8% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 35.3% | 33.4% | 36.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.8% | 30.8% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.1% | 32.7% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.6% | 37.9% | 39.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
More urban development data for Madagascar
- Population density 53.62 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 12.39 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1292 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 4.23 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 6.66 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 4.23 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 2.63 million current US$ (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Madagascar?
- Population in the largest city in Madagascar was 39.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 45.5% in 1960.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.8% in 2005.
- How does Madagascar rank for population in the largest city?
- Madagascar ranks 38th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Madagascar 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.