Samoa — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Samoa, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Samoa was 17.51% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 21.97% in 2001. The lowest was 17.50% in 2022 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.12% per year.
Samoa ranks 215 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 99%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 65.45%, so Samoa sits below it. It peaked in 2001 and has fallen 20% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 9%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 36 of 37 economies; Papua New Guinea (15.78%) is just below it. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 155th of 217 in 1960 → 166th of 217 in 1970 → 180th of 217 in 1980 → 190th of 217 in 1990 → 198th of 217 in 2000 → 206th of 217 in 2010 → 213th of 217 in 2020 → 215th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 17.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 17.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 17.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 17.57% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 18.05% | -0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 18.41% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 18.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 18.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 19.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 19.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 19.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 19.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 19.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 19.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 19.83% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 20.1% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 20.4% | -0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 20.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 20.96% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 21.24% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 21.53% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 21.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 21.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 21.97% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 21.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 21.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 21.84% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 21.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 21.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 21.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 21.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 21.34% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 21.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 21.11% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 20.96% | +0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 20.78% | +0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 20.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 20.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 20.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 20.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 20.82% | -0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 21.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 21.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 21.21% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 21.21% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 21.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 21.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 21.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 21.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 21.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 20.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 20.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 20.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 1971 | 20.58% | +0.2 pp |
| 1970 | 20.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 1969 | 20.05% | +0.3 pp |
| 1968 | 19.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 1967 | 19.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 19.35% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 19.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 19.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 19.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 19.02% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 18.95% | +0.1 pp |
| 1960 | 18.89% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Samoa’s Urban population in 1961?
18.95% (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 Samoa’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -7.3% in total — about 0.1% 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: 17.51%; 2024: 17.5%; 2023: 17.5%; 2022: 17.5%; 2021: 17.57%. 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.