Population in the largest city in South Asia
South Asia: Population in the largest city was 10.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in South Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2025, population in the largest city in South Asia stood at 10.2%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in South Asia peaked at 10.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 1979.
That places South Asia 39th out of 43 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.5% | — |
| 1961 | 8.4% | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 8.4% | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 8.4% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 8.3% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 8.3% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 8.2% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 8.1% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 8.0% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 7.9% | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 7.8% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 7.7% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 7.6% | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 7.5% | -1.3% |
| 1979 | 7.4% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 7.4% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 7.4% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 7.4% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 7.5% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 7.5% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 7.6% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 7.6% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 7.7% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 7.8% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 7.9% | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 8.0% | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 8.1% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 8.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 8.2% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 8.3% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 8.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 8.3% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 8.4% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 8.4% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 8.6% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 8.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 8.9% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 9.0% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 9.1% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 9.3% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 9.4% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 9.5% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 9.6% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 9.8% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 9.9% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 10.1% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 10.2% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.3% | 8.1% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.6% | 7.4% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.1% | 8.0% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More urban development data for South Asia
- Population density 496.76 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 55.16 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 99.2% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in South Asia?
- Population in the largest city in South Asia was 10.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 1979.
- How does South Asia rank for population in the largest city?
- South Asia ranks 39th out of 43 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia 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.