Urban population ranking 1997 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Urban Population (% of Total) in 1997, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Hong Kong (100%). A total of 217 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Hong Kong, stood at 100%. The twentieth economy, Uruguay, reported 90.95% — a 1.1× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 217 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | % of total population (1997) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong | 100% |
| 2 | Singapore | 100% |
| 3 | Bermuda | 100% |
| 4 | Gibraltar | 100% |
| 5 | Monaco | 100% |
| 6 | Cayman Islands | 100% |
| 7 | Naoero | 100% |
| 8 | St. Martin (French part) | 100% |
| 9 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 100% |
| 10 | Macao | 99.95% |
| 11 | Kuwait | 98.33% |
| 12 | Qatar | 95.67% |
| 13 | Puerto Rico (US) | 93.36% |
| 14 | Andorra | 92.98% |
| 15 | Malta | 92.98% |
| 16 | San Marino | 92.88% |
| 17 | Guam | 92.56% |
| 18 | Iceland | 92.02% |
| 19 | Israel | 91.02% |
| 20 | Uruguay | 90.95% |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1997 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1997 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | #1 | #1 |
| Singapore | #2 | #2 |
| Bermuda | #6 | #6 |
| Gibraltar | #7 | #7 |
| Monaco | #8 | #8 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Urban population in 1997?
Hong Kong, with 100% (% of total population).
How many countries are included?
217 economies reported a value for SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS in 1997. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.