The global urban population overtook the rural population in numbers in 2007. Today, 4.5 billion people live in urban areas, compared to 3.4 million in rural areas. This development underlines that rapid urbanization the world has seen in recent decades.
Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022
(in billions)
Characteristic
Rural population
Urban population
1990
3.02
2.28
1991
3.05
2.33
1992
3.08
2.39
1993
3.11
2.45
1994
3.13
2.51
1995
3.16
2.57
1996
3.19
2.62
1997
3.21
2.68
1998
3.23
2.74
1999
3.26
2.8
2000
3.28
2.87
2001
3.29
2.93
2002
3.31
3
2003
3.32
3.07
2004
3.33
3.14
2005
3.34
3.22
2006
3.34
3.29
2007
3.35
3.36
2008
3.36
3.44
2009
3.37
3.52
2010
3.37
3.59
2011
3.38
3.67
2012
3.39
3.75
2013
3.4
3.82
2014
3.41
3.9
2015
3.42
3.98
2016
3.42
4.07
2017
3.43
4.15
2018
3.43
4.23
2019
3.43
4.31
2020
3.44
4.38
2021
3.43
4.45
2022
3.43
4.52
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World Bank. (March 28, 2024). Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in billions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/
World Bank. "Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in billions)." Chart. March 28, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/
World Bank. (2024). Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in billions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/
World Bank. "Global Urban and Rural Population Worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in Billions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Mar 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/
World Bank, Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in billions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Global urban and rural population worldwide from 1990 to 2022 (in billions) [Graph], World Bank, March 28, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/267838/global-urban-and-rural-population/
