China — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for China, 1960–2025.
Urban population for China was 66.34% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 16.84% in 1963 (about 3.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.88% per year.
China ranks 101 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 47%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 65.45%, so China sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 16%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 18 of 37 economies; Tuvalu (65.45%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 10% in 1962. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 2003. Doubling roughly every 37 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 151st of 217 in 1960 → 179th of 217 in 1970 → 184th of 217 in 1980 → 178th of 217 in 1990 → 159th of 217 in 2000 → 140th of 217 in 2010 → 106th of 217 in 2020 → 101st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66.34% | +0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 65.89% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 65.53% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 65.22% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 64.72% | +1.2 pp |
| 2020 | 63.52% | +0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 62.71% | +1.2 pp |
| 2018 | 61.5% | +1.3 pp |
| 2017 | 60.24% | +1.4 pp |
| 2016 | 58.84% | +1.5 pp |
| 2015 | 57.33% | +1.6 pp |
| 2014 | 55.75% | +1.3 pp |
| 2013 | 54.49% | +1.4 pp |
| 2012 | 53.1% | +1.3 pp |
| 2011 | 51.83% | +2.6 pp |
| 2010 | 49.23% | +0.9 pp |
| 2009 | 48.34% | +1.4 pp |
| 2008 | 46.99% | +1.1 pp |
| 2007 | 45.89% | +1.5 pp |
| 2006 | 44.34% | +1.4 pp |
| 2005 | 42.99% | +1.2 pp |
| 2004 | 41.76% | +1.2 pp |
| 2003 | 40.53% | +1.4 pp |
| 2002 | 39.09% | +1.4 pp |
| 2001 | 37.66% | +1.2 pp |
| 2000 | 36.43% | +1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 34.78% | +1.4 pp |
| 1998 | 33.35% | +1.4 pp |
| 1997 | 31.91% | +1.4 pp |
| 1996 | 30.48% | +1.4 pp |
| 1995 | 29.04% | +0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 28.51% | +0.5 pp |
| 1993 | 27.99% | +0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 27.46% | +0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 26.94% | +0.7 pp |
| 1990 | 26.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 26.21% | +0.4 pp |
| 1988 | 25.81% | +0.5 pp |
| 1987 | 25.32% | +0.8 pp |
| 1986 | 24.52% | +0.8 pp |
| 1985 | 23.71% | +0.7 pp |
| 1984 | 23.01% | +1.4 pp |
| 1983 | 21.62% | +1.1 pp |
| 1982 | 20.57% | +0.4 pp |
| 1981 | 20.16% | +0.8 pp |
| 1980 | 19.39% | +0.4 pp |
| 1979 | 18.96% | +1.0 pp |
| 1978 | 17.92% | +0.4 pp |
| 1977 | 17.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 17.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 17.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 1974 | 17.16% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 17.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 17.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 17.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 17.38% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 17.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 17.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 17.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 17.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 17.98% | -0.3 pp |
| 1964 | 18.3% | +1.5 pp |
| 1963 | 16.84% | -0.5 pp |
| 1962 | 17.32% | -2.0 pp |
| 1961 | 19.29% | -0.5 pp |
| 1960 | 19.75% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was China’s Urban population in 1961?
19.29% (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is China’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +236.0% in total — about 1.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 66.34%; 2024: 65.89%; 2023: 65.53%; 2022: 65.22%; 2021: 64.72%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.