Vanuatu — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Vanuatu, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Vanuatu was 22.32% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 24.87% in 2016. The lowest was 7.98% in 1960 (about 2.8× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.60% per year.
Vanuatu ranks 209 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 96%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 65.45%, so Vanuatu sits below it. It peaked in 2016 and has fallen 10% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 10%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 34 of 37 economies; Tonga (21.16%) is just below it. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1983. Doubling roughly every 44 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 194th of 217 in 1960 → 195th of 217 in 1970 → 196th of 217 in 1980 → 198th of 217 in 1990 → 199th of 217 in 2000 → 196th of 217 in 2010 → 206th of 217 in 2020 → 209th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 22.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 22.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 22.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 22.25% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 22.42% | -1.1 pp |
| 2019 | 23.5% | -0.8 pp |
| 2018 | 24.27% | -0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 24.76% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 24.87% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 24.86% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 24.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 24.84% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 24.82% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 24.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 24.74% | +0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 24.29% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 23.93% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 23.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 23.29% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 23% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 22.73% | +0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 22.46% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 22.2% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 21.93% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 21.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 21.37% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 21.08% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 20.8% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 20.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 20.24% | +0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 19.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 19.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 19.38% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 19.08% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 18.77% | +0.3 pp |
| 1989 | 18.44% | +0.4 pp |
| 1988 | 18.08% | +0.4 pp |
| 1987 | 17.71% | +0.4 pp |
| 1986 | 17.31% | +0.4 pp |
| 1985 | 16.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 1984 | 16.47% | +0.4 pp |
| 1983 | 16.04% | +0.4 pp |
| 1982 | 15.61% | +0.4 pp |
| 1981 | 15.19% | +0.4 pp |
| 1980 | 14.77% | +0.4 pp |
| 1979 | 14.37% | +0.4 pp |
| 1978 | 13.98% | +0.4 pp |
| 1977 | 13.6% | +0.4 pp |
| 1976 | 13.22% | +0.4 pp |
| 1975 | 12.85% | +0.4 pp |
| 1974 | 12.48% | +0.4 pp |
| 1973 | 12.11% | +0.4 pp |
| 1972 | 11.75% | +0.4 pp |
| 1971 | 11.39% | +0.4 pp |
| 1970 | 11.04% | +0.4 pp |
| 1969 | 10.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 1968 | 10.34% | +0.3 pp |
| 1967 | 9.99% | +0.3 pp |
| 1966 | 9.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 1965 | 9.39% | +0.3 pp |
| 1964 | 9.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 1963 | 8.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 1962 | 8.53% | +0.3 pp |
| 1961 | 8.25% | +0.3 pp |
| 1960 | 7.98% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Vanuatu’s Urban population in 1961?
8.25% (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 Vanuatu’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +179.9% 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: 22.32%; 2024: 22.29%; 2023: 22.27%; 2022: 22.25%; 2021: 22.25%. 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.