Canada vs Switzerland: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 82.9% in Canada and 85.7% in Switzerland, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Switzerland, by 2.9 percentage points, or 1.03 times that in Canada.
CanadaSwitzerland
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN · log scale
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 82.9 2025 | 81.3 | 55 of 229 | 87.4 2050 |
| Switzerland | 85.7 2025 | 75.6 | 49 of 229 | 89 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Switzerland has been higher since 2020, when it overtook Canada.
- In 2025, Canada ranked 55 and Switzerland ranked 49 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Canada at 87.4% and Switzerland at 89% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Canada | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 82.9 | 85.7 |
| 2024 | 82.7 | 85.5 |
| 2023 | 82.5 | 85.2 |
| 2022 | 82.4 | 84.9 |
| 2021 | 82.2 | 84.2 |
| 2020 | 82 | 82.3 |
| 2019 | 81.7 | 80.8 |
| 2018 | 81.6 | 79.3 |
| 2017 | 81.4 | 77.9 |
| 2016 | 81.3 | 76.7 |
| 2015 | 81.3 | 75.6 |
| 2014 | 81.2 | 74.7 |
| 2013 | 81.2 | 74.1 |
| 2012 | 81.2 | 73.8 |
| 2011 | 81.1 | 73.7 |
| 2010 | 81 | 73.6 |
| 2009 | 80.9 | 73.6 |
| 2008 | 80.7 | 73.6 |
| 2007 | 80.4 | 73.5 |
| 2006 | 80.2 | 73.5 |
| 2005 | 80 | 73.5 |
| 2004 | 79.7 | 73.5 |
| 2003 | 79.4 | 73.5 |
| 2002 | 79.1 | 73.4 |
| 2001 | 78.8 | 73.4 |
| 2000 | 78.6 | 73.3 |
| 1999 | 78.4 | 73.1 |
| 1998 | 78.3 | 72.9 |
| 1997 | 78.1 | 72.5 |
| 1996 | 77.9 | 72 |
| 1995 | 77.6 | 71.5 |
| 1994 | 77.3 | 71 |
| 1993 | 77 | 70.4 |
| 1992 | 76.7 | 69.8 |
| 1991 | 76.6 | 69.2 |
| 1990 | 76.6 | 68.7 |
| 1989 | 76.5 | 68 |
| 1988 | 76.5 | 67.3 |
| 1987 | 76.5 | 66.5 |
| 1986 | 76.5 | 65.6 |
| 1985 | 76.4 | 64.8 |
| 1984 | 76.2 | 64 |
| 1983 | 76 | 63.2 |
| 1982 | 75.9 | 62.4 |
| 1981 | 75.7 | 61.8 |
| 1980 | 75.7 | 61.3 |
| 1979 | 75.6 | 60.8 |
| 1978 | 75.6 | 60.4 |
| 1977 | 75.6 | 60.1 |
| 1976 | 75.5 | 59.7 |
| 1975 | 75.6 | 59.4 |
| 1974 | 75.7 | 59.1 |
| 1973 | 75.9 | 58.7 |
| 1972 | 76 | 58.3 |
| 1971 | 76.1 | 57.9 |
| 1970 | 76 | 57.4 |
| 1969 | 75.5 | 56.9 |
| 1968 | 75 | 56.3 |
| 1967 | 74.3 | 55.7 |
| 1966 | 73.6 | 55.1 |
| 1965 | 73 | 54.4 |
| 1964 | 72.1 | 53.7 |
| 1963 | 71.3 | 53 |
| 1962 | 70.5 | 52.4 |
| 1961 | 69.7 | 51.7 |
| 1960 | 69 | 51 |
| 1959 | 68.5 | 50.4 |
| 1958 | 67.9 | 49.7 |
| 1957 | 67.3 | 49 |
| 1956 | 66.7 | 48.3 |
| 1955 | 66 | 47.6 |
| 1954 | 65.3 | 46.9 |
| 1953 | 64.6 | 46.2 |
| 1952 | 63.8 | 45.6 |
| 1951 | 63 | 44.9 |
| 1950 | 62.2 | 44.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Canada | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 83.1 | 86 |
| 2027 | 83.2 | 86.2 |
| 2028 | 83.4 | 86.5 |
| 2029 | 83.6 | 86.7 |
| 2030 | 83.8 | 86.9 |
| 2031 | 83.9 | 87.1 |
| 2032 | 84.1 | 87.3 |
| 2033 | 84.3 | 87.5 |
| 2034 | 84.5 | 87.7 |
| 2035 | 84.7 | 87.8 |
| 2036 | 84.8 | 88 |
| 2037 | 85 | 88.1 |
| 2038 | 85.2 | 88.2 |
| 2039 | 85.4 | 88.4 |
| 2040 | 85.5 | 88.5 |
| 2041 | 85.7 | 88.6 |
| 2042 | 85.9 | 88.7 |
| 2043 | 86.1 | 88.7 |
| 2044 | 86.3 | 88.8 |
| 2045 | 86.5 | 88.9 |
| 2046 | 86.6 | 88.9 |
| 2047 | 86.8 | 89 |
| 2048 | 87 | 89 |
| 2049 | 87.2 | 89 |
| 2050 | 87.4 | 89 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time