Timor-Leste — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Timor-Leste, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Timor-Leste was 28.79% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 29.64% in 2010. The lowest was 10.08% in 1960 (about 2.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.63% per year.
Timor-Leste ranks 199 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 92%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 65.45%, so Timor-Leste sits below it. It peaked in 2010 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 32 of 37 economies; Micronesia, Fed. Sts. (22.48%) is just below it.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1988. Doubling roughly every 43 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 187th of 217 in 1960 → 191st of 217 in 1970 → 192nd of 217 in 1980 → 189th of 217 in 1990 → 191st of 217 in 2000 → 186th of 217 in 2010 → 194th of 217 in 2020 → 199th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28.79% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 28.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 28.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 28.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 28.79% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 28.96% | -0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 29.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 29.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 29.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 29.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 29.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 29.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 29.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 29.61% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 29.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 29.64% | +0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 29.4% | +0.6 pp |
| 2008 | 28.81% | +0.8 pp |
| 2007 | 28% | +0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 27.12% | +0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 26.31% | +0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 25.7% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 25.26% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 24.85% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 24.47% | +0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 24.11% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 23.78% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 23.46% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 23.16% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 22.86% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 22.56% | +0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 22.27% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 21.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 21.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 21.34% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 21% | +0.4 pp |
| 1989 | 20.64% | +0.4 pp |
| 1988 | 20.25% | +0.4 pp |
| 1987 | 19.85% | +0.4 pp |
| 1986 | 19.42% | +0.4 pp |
| 1985 | 18.98% | +0.5 pp |
| 1984 | 18.53% | +0.5 pp |
| 1983 | 18.07% | +0.5 pp |
| 1982 | 17.6% | +0.5 pp |
| 1981 | 17.12% | +0.5 pp |
| 1980 | 16.64% | +0.5 pp |
| 1979 | 16.16% | +0.5 pp |
| 1978 | 15.68% | +0.5 pp |
| 1977 | 15.2% | +0.5 pp |
| 1976 | 14.73% | +0.5 pp |
| 1975 | 14.27% | +0.4 pp |
| 1974 | 13.82% | +0.4 pp |
| 1973 | 13.39% | +0.4 pp |
| 1972 | 12.97% | +0.4 pp |
| 1971 | 12.57% | +0.4 pp |
| 1970 | 12.19% | +0.4 pp |
| 1969 | 11.83% | +0.3 pp |
| 1968 | 11.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 1967 | 11.2% | +0.3 pp |
| 1966 | 10.93% | +0.2 pp |
| 1965 | 10.69% | +0.2 pp |
| 1964 | 10.49% | +0.2 pp |
| 1963 | 10.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 10.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 10.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 1960 | 10.08% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Timor-Leste’s Urban population in 1961?
10.12% (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 Timor-Leste’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +185.5% in total — about 1.6% 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: 28.79%; 2024: 28.66%; 2023: 28.6%; 2022: 28.59%; 2021: 28.79%. 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.