Central Europe and the Baltics: Urban population

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Central Europe and the Baltics' urban population fell 0.1% on 2024 (from 61.84 million to 61.79 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 0.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.5% in 1964 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.1% in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 224,339 a year. A straight line explains 83% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Limitations: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 66 values

Urban population in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 11.37 million (2025)
• Algeria — 35.96 million (2025)
• Bahrain — 1.6 million (2025)
• Djibouti — 864,090 (2025)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 50.78 million (2025)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 71.51 million (2025)
• Iraq — 32.89 million (2025)
• Israel — 9.27 million (2025)
• Jordan — 10.74 million (2025)
• Kuwait — 4.87 million (2025)
• Lebanon — 5.32 million (2025)
• Libya — 6.56 million (2025)

More environment data for Central Europe and the Baltics

• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 17.66% (2025)
• Rural population — 38.02 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 38.09% (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 61.91% (2025)
• Electric power transmission and distribution losses (% of output) — 6.27% (2024)
• Fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) — 71.64% (2024)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 142,217 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 405,176 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Central Europe and the Baltics's urban population?

61.79 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 52.14% from 40.61 million in 1960 (0.65% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 67.99 million in 1990 and the lowest 40.61 million in 1960.

Is the latest change in urban population unusual for Central Europe and the Baltics?

In 2025, Central Europe and the Baltics' urban population fell 0.1% on 2024 (from 61.84 million to 61.79 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 0.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SP.URB.TOTL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: https://population.un.org/wup/, note: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, National definitions, publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: Wo… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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