Urban population share South Asia 2022, by country

In 2022, roughly 43 percent of Bhutan's population resided in urban areas. Comparatively, approximately 19 percent of Sri Lanka's population lived in urban areas in 2022.

Urbanization in the APAC region

The Asia-Pacific region is currently experiencing a significant trend towards urbanization, with a growing number of individuals relocating from rural areas to urban centers in pursuit of improved economic prospects. From 2015 to 2020, there was an increase in the urban population throughout Asia. The projection for the region indicates a continuation of urbanization, although at a decelerated rate. As of 2021, a third of the entire population of India resided in urban areas. The data shows a notable upsurge in urbanization in India over the past ten years, indicating a shift of the populace from rural to urban centers in search of employment opportunities and livelihood.

 Population of megacities in APAC 

The APAC region is home to some of the world's most populous megacities. According to recent data, in 2023, the annual metropolitan population growth rate of China surpassed that of other megacities in the APAC region. In contrast to other cities, the three megacities in Japan, namely Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, exhibited the lowest annual population growth rates. That same year, the APAC region was home to 28 megacities, more than ten of which were in China. India, Japan, and Pakistan also had more than once megacity each as of January 2023.