Population in the largest city in Somalia
Somalia: Population in the largest city was 26.3% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
26.3%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
89th
of 153 countries
All-time high
57.2%
in 1992
All-time low
18.5%
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Somalia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in Somalia stood at 26.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Somalia peaked at 57.2% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 18.5%, in 1960.
Somalia ranks 89th of 153 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Population in the largest city in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 18.5% | — |
| 1961 | 18.8% | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 19.1% | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 19.5% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 20.3% | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 21.6% | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 22.9% | +6.3% |
| 1967 | 24.4% | +6.4% |
| 1968 | 26.0% | +6.4% |
| 1969 | 27.7% | +6.5% |
| 1970 | 29.5% | +6.7% |
| 1971 | 31.5% | +6.9% |
| 1972 | 33.8% | +7.1% |
| 1973 | 36.2% | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 39.0% | +7.6% |
| 1975 | 40.9% | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 41.2% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 41.4% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 39.8% | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 36.4% | -8.6% |
| 1980 | 34.6% | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 35.5% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 36.6% | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 38.0% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 39.3% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 39.9% | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 40.5% | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 41.3% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 43.6% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 46.8% | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 49.7% | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 54.6% | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 57.2% | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 55.5% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 52.6% | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 50.7% | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 48.7% | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 46.9% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 44.9% | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 42.9% | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 41.1% | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 39.3% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 38.8% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 38.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 37.9% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 37.5% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | -28.6% |
| 2008 | 27.2% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 27.9% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.6% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 29.8% | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 30.4% | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 30.3% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 30.0% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 29.4% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 28.5% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 27.4% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 26.4% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 26.2% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 26.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 26.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.9% | 18.5% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 37.0% | 29.5% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.6% | 34.6% | 46.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.4% | 42.9% | 57.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.2% | 26.6% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.7% | 26.3% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.2% | 26.1% | 26.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More urban development data for Somalia
- Population density 29.26 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 18.54 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1448 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 2.85 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.39 % 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 4.16 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 2.85 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 48.36 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 Somalia?
- Population in the largest city in Somalia was 26.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 57.2% in 1992.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.5% in 1960.
- How does Somalia rank for population in the largest city?
- Somalia ranks 89th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Somalia 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.