Tanzania - Urban population

The value for Urban population in Tanzania was 21,042,570 as of 2020. As the graph below shows, over the past 60 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 21,042,570 in 2020 and a minimum value of 527,336 in 1960.

Definition: 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.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

See also:

Year Value
1960 527,336
1961 558,101
1962 590,864
1963 625,626
1964 662,491
1965 701,581
1966 742,978
1967 786,950
1968 865,844
1969 959,246
1970 1,062,806
1971 1,177,954
1972 1,305,476
1973 1,446,116
1974 1,600,911
1975 1,770,568
1976 1,956,494
1977 2,159,304
1978 2,381,140
1979 2,542,017
1980 2,698,244
1981 2,863,513
1982 3,039,166
1983 3,224,815
1984 3,421,078
1985 3,627,339
1986 3,844,102
1987 4,071,647
1988 4,313,058
1989 4,532,040
1990 4,759,495
1991 5,004,953
1992 5,267,141
1993 5,540,351
1994 5,816,979
1995 6,090,820
1996 6,359,252
1997 6,624,426
1998 6,892,435
1999 7,172,771
2000 7,473,331
2001 7,796,647
2002 8,142,549
2003 8,579,713
2004 9,054,501
2005 9,552,983
2006 10,076,210
2007 10,626,390
2008 11,206,810
2009 11,819,030
2010 12,467,580
2011 13,153,060
2012 13,877,350
2013 14,639,970
2014 15,439,810
2015 16,277,270
2016 17,152,410
2017 18,066,880
2018 19,020,430
2019 20,011,880
2020 21,042,570

Development Relevance: Explosive growth of cities globally signifies the demographic transition from rural to urban, and is associated with shifts from an agriculture-based economy to mass industry, technology, and service. In principle, cities offer a more favorable setting for the resolution of social and environmental problems than rural areas. Cities generate jobs and income, and deliver education, health care and other services. Cities also present opportunities for social mobilization and women's empowerment.

Limitations and Exceptions: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries. 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. Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers. Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population. Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Density & urbanization