Population in the largest city in Mali
Mali: Population in the largest city was 39.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
39.2%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
39th
of 153 countries
All-time high
52.6%
in 2004
All-time low
29.9%
in 1968
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Mali, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
Mali recorded 39.2% for population in the largest city in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Mali peaked at 52.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 29.9%, in 1968.
That places Mali 39th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Mali, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 34.3% | — |
| 1961 | 33.4% | -2.7% |
| 1962 | 32.6% | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 31.9% | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 31.3% | -2.0% |
| 1965 | 30.7% | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 30.3% | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 30.1% | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 29.9% | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 31.3% | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 32.8% | +4.8% |
| 1971 | 34.5% | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 36.2% | +5.1% |
| 1973 | 38.1% | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 40.2% | +5.4% |
| 1975 | 42.4% | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 44.8% | +5.8% |
| 1977 | 46.0% | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 46.1% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 46.3% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 46.4% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 46.5% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 46.6% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 46.9% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 47.3% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 47.8% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 48.1% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 48.5% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 48.9% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 49.3% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 50.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 50.4% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 50.7% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 51.0% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 51.2% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 51.7% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 52.1% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 52.3% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 52.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 52.6% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 52.6% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 52.6% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 52.2% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 51.1% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 50.0% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 49.1% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 48.2% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 47.2% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 46.2% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 45.2% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 44.2% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 43.2% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 42.3% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 41.5% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 40.8% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 40.2% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 39.8% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 39.4% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 39.2% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.6% | 29.9% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 40.7% | 32.8% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 47.1% | 46.2% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.4% | 48.9% | 51.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.4% | 52.1% | 52.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.7% | 42.3% | 51.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.1% | 39.2% | 41.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More urban development data for Mali
- Population density 19.48 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 35.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1262 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.18 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 2.4 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.18 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 43.3 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Mali?
- Population in the largest city in Mali was 39.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 52.6% in 2004.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.9% in 1968.
- How does Mali rank for population in the largest city?
- Mali ranks 39th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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.