Countries With the Fastest Growth in Urban population (5-Year Change)
Change in Urban population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Burundi rose the most: by 47%, from 2.51 million people to 3.7 million people in the five years to 2025. Rwanda is second (+40.7%), followed by Chad (+35.9%). 183 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +8.94%.
- #1
- Burundi · +47%
- Median
- +8.94%
- Coverage
- 183 countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 2,514,700 | 3,696,400 | +47% |
| 2 | Rwanda | 3,201,500 | 4,503,900 | +40.7% |
| 3 | Chad | 4,260,400 | 5,789,900 | +35.9% |
| 4 | Uganda | 12,688,000 | 16,412,000 | +29.4% |
| 5 | Mali | 6,301,500 | 8,117,200 | +28.8% |
| 6 | Seychelles | 43,612 | 55,821 | +28% |
| 7 | Niger | 4,033,900 | 5,129,600 | +27.2% |
| 8 | Mozambique | 10,437,000 | 13,258,000 | +27% |
| 9 | Ethiopia | 25,717,000 | 32,662,000 | +27% |
| 10 | Tanzania | 20,642,000 | 26,020,000 | +26.1% |
| 11 | Solomon Islands | 208,700 | 262,570 | +25.8% |
| 12 | Mauritania | 2,621,300 | 3,268,200 | +24.7% |
| 13 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 8,706,300 | 10,838,000 | +24.5% |
| 14 | Angola | 22,565,000 | 27,899,000 | +23.6% |
| 15 | United Arab Emirates | 8,009,300 | 9,896,900 | +23.6% |
| 16 | Senegal | 8,572,000 | 10,558,000 | +23.2% |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 5,661,300 | 6,963,000 | +23% |
| 18 | Malawi | 3,183,300 | 3,908,900 | +22.8% |
| 19 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 41,518,000 | 50,903,000 | +22.6% |
| 20 | South Sudan | 2,160,200 | 2,643,100 | +22.4% |
| 21 | Benin | 6,462,700 | 7,905,300 | +22.3% |
| 22 | Papua New Guinea | 1,390,900 | 1,698,300 | +22.1% |
| 23 | Madagascar | 8,889,300 | 10,772,000 | +21.2% |
| 24 | Oman | 3,618,800 | 4,367,100 | +20.7% |
| 25 | Zambia | 8,360,300 | 10,062,000 | +20.4% |
| 26 | Yemen, Rep. | 12,901,000 | 15,470,000 | +19.9% |
| 27 | Syrian Arab Republic | 15,453,000 | 18,468,000 | +19.5% |
| 28 | Zimbabwe | 5,746,500 | 6,864,200 | +19.5% |
| 29 | Guinea | 4,877,800 | 5,815,900 | +19.2% |
| 30 | Lesotho | 886,080 | 1,055,700 | +19.1% |
| 31 | Côte d'Ivoire | 14,989,000 | 17,844,000 | +19% |
| 32 | Namibia | 1,324,700 | 1,573,200 | +18.8% |
| 33 | Sierra Leone | 3,419,300 | 4,050,600 | +18.5% |
| 34 | Nigeria | 127,900,000 | 151,480,000 | +18.4% |
| 35 | Saudi Arabia | 26,443,000 | 31,284,000 | +18.3% |
| 36 | Lao PDR | 2,690,200 | 3,173,900 | +18% |
| 37 | Guinea-Bissau | 891,950 | 1,049,400 | +17.7% |
| 38 | Kiribati | 73,657 | 86,513 | +17.5% |
| 39 | Gambia, The | 1,565,000 | 1,834,000 | +17.2% |
| 40 | Cameroon | 14,221,000 | 16,634,000 | +17% |
| 41 | Togo | 3,261,500 | 3,814,300 | +16.9% |
| 42 | Liberia | 2,749,200 | 3,214,200 | +16.9% |
| 43 | Comoros | 257,200 | 299,650 | +16.5% |
| 44 | Central African Republic | 2,126,500 | 2,456,300 | +15.5% |
| 45 | British Virgin Islands | 19,745 | 22,804 | +15.5% |
| 46 | Ghana | 17,926,000 | 20,662,000 | +15.3% |
| 47 | Afghanistan | 9,869,700 | 11,373,000 | +15.2% |
| 48 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,208,100 | 1,387,500 | +14.8% |
| 49 | Pakistan | 88,145,000 | 100,880,000 | +14.4% |
| 50 | West Bank and Gaza | 4,134,400 | 4,730,500 | +14.4% |
| 51 | St. Lucia | 45,904 | 52,417 | +14.2% |
| 52 | Eswatini | 294,190 | 335,670 | +14.1% |
| 53 | Gabon | 2,098,400 | 2,388,000 | +13.8% |
| 54 | Kenya | 16,295,000 | 18,532,000 | +13.7% |
| 55 | Congo, Rep. | 3,657,400 | 4,158,100 | +13.7% |
| 56 | Honduras | 5,755,000 | 6,521,200 | +13.3% |
| 57 | Bhutan | 305,610 | 346,000 | +13.2% |
| 58 | Viet Nam | 34,887,000 | 39,451,000 | +13.1% |
| 59 | Paraguay | 4,366,200 | 4,936,500 | +13.1% |
| 60 | Malta | 490,670 | 554,660 | +13% |
| 61 | Bangladesh | 51,747,000 | 58,398,000 | +12.9% |
| 62 | São Tomé and Principe | 147,950 | 166,190 | +12.3% |
| 63 | Mongolia | 2,265,500 | 2,539,200 | +12.1% |
| 64 | Haiti | 5,917,700 | 6,621,600 | +11.9% |
| 65 | Algeria | 32,175,000 | 35,965,000 | +11.8% |
| 66 | Iraq | 29,426,000 | 32,886,000 | +11.8% |
| 67 | Vanuatu | 67,000 | 74,816 | +11.7% |
| 68 | Sudan | 16,170,000 | 18,048,000 | +11.6% |
| 69 | Kazakhstan | 11,687,000 | 13,003,000 | +11.3% |
| 70 | Guatemala | 9,468,100 | 10,521,000 | +11.1% |
| 71 | Maldives | 202,850 | 225,150 | +11% |
| 72 | Gibraltar | 36,173 | 40,126 | +10.9% |
| 73 | Uzbekistan | 17,051,000 | 18,904,000 | +10.9% |
| 74 | Canada | 31,165,000 | 34,519,000 | +10.8% |
| 75 | Botswana | 1,572,100 | 1,741,100 | +10.7% |
| 76 | Ireland | 3,198,800 | 3,542,200 | +10.7% |
| 77 | Kuwait | 4,400,300 | 4,865,300 | +10.6% |
| 78 | Tajikistan | 2,553,600 | 2,822,300 | +10.5% |
| 79 | Cayman Islands | 68,684 | 75,844 | +10.4% |
| 80 | Luxembourg | 591,710 | 651,830 | +10.2% |
| 81 | Cambodia | 6,662,200 | 7,336,500 | +10.1% |
| 82 | Israel | 8,439,100 | 9,270,300 | +9.85% |
| 83 | Turkmenistan | 3,270,300 | 3,588,900 | +9.74% |
| 84 | Indonesia | 154,660,000 | 169,700,000 | +9.72% |
| 85 | Thailand | 41,005,000 | 44,977,000 | +9.69% |
| 86 | Georgia | 2,196,400 | 2,407,800 | +9.62% |
| 87 | Switzerland | 7,112,800 | 7,794,700 | +9.59% |
| 88 | Malaysia | 25,435,000 | 27,845,000 | +9.48% |
| 89 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 46,479,000 | 50,784,000 | +9.26% |
| 90 | India | 478,690,000 | 522,440,000 | +9.14% |
| 91 | Cabo Verde | 375,120 | 409,360 | +9.13% |
| 92 | Kyrgyz Republic | 2,342,000 | 2,551,400 | +8.94% |
| 93 | Bolivia | 8,276,600 | 9,004,000 | +8.79% |
| 94 | Bahrain | 1,472,200 | 1,600,400 | +8.71% |
| 95 | Djibouti | 795,720 | 864,090 | +8.59% |
| 96 | Australia | 22,384,000 | 24,223,000 | +8.22% |
| 97 | Nicaragua | 3,854,100 | 4,165,500 | +8.08% |
| 98 | Peru | 27,429,000 | 29,596,000 | +7.9% |
| 99 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 66,318,000 | 71,509,000 | +7.83% |
| 100 | Eritrea | 1,155,800 | 1,245,900 | +7.8% |
Showing the top 100 of 183. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.
About the top 10
#1 Burundi
Burundi ranks #1 on this list with +47%.
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#2 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #2 on this list with +40.7%.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#3 Chad
Chad ranks #3 on this list with +35.9%.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#4 Uganda
Uganda ranks #4 on this list with +29.4%.
- Capital
- Kampala
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$61.99 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,206 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kampala.
Also ranks #6 in renewable energy share · #6 in refugee population by asylum · #7 in agricultural land share.
#5 Mali
Mali ranks #5 on this list with +28.8%.
- Capital
- Bamako
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.2 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,193 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bamako.
Also ranks #6 in population ages 0-14 share · #6 in age dependency ratio · #6 in age dependency ratio (young).
#6 Seychelles
Seychelles ranks #6 on this list with +28%.
- Capital
- Victoria
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 122,730 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.39 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in protected terrestrial area share · #3 in physicians per 1,000 · #8 in male population share.
#7 Niger
Niger ranks #7 on this list with +27.2%.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#8 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #8 on this list with +27%.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#9 Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranks #9 on this list with +27%.
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 135.47 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$126.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$932.7 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 24.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Addis Ababa.
Also ranks #3 in children out of school (primary) · #6 in rural population · #6 in gdp growth rate.
#10 Tanzania
Tanzania ranks #10 on this list with +26.1%.
- Capital
- Dodoma
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 70.55 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$90.14 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,319 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 36.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dar es Salaam.
Also ranks #4 in labour force participation rate · #4 in female labour force participation · #5 in livestock production index.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Urban population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.URB.TOTL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Urban population: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospe.
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.