France vs United Arab Emirates: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 78.8% in France and 86% in United Arab Emirates, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by 7.1 percentage points, or 1.09 times that in France.
FranceUnited Arab Emirates
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 78.8 2025 | 77.8 | 71 of 229 | 86.3 2050 |
| United Arab Emirates | 86 2025 | 84.3 | 48 of 229 | 87.9 2050 |
What the numbers say
- United Arab Emirates has been higher since 1951, when it overtook France.
- In 2025, France ranked 71 and United Arab Emirates ranked 48 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts France at 86.3% and United Arab Emirates at 87.9% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | France | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78.8 | 86 |
| 2024 | 78.8 | 85.8 |
| 2023 | 78.8 | 85.7 |
| 2022 | 78.8 | 85.5 |
| 2021 | 78.7 | 85.4 |
| 2020 | 78.7 | 85.2 |
| 2019 | 78.7 | 85 |
| 2018 | 78.7 | 84.9 |
| 2017 | 78.7 | 84.7 |
| 2016 | 78.6 | 84.5 |
| 2015 | 77.8 | 84.3 |
| 2014 | 77.4 | 84.1 |
| 2013 | 77.2 | 84 |
| 2012 | 77.2 | 83.8 |
| 2011 | 77.1 | 83.6 |
| 2010 | 77.1 | 83.4 |
| 2009 | 77.1 | 83.2 |
| 2008 | 77.2 | 83 |
| 2007 | 77.3 | 82.8 |
| 2006 | 77.4 | 82.6 |
| 2005 | 77.4 | 82.2 |
| 2004 | 77.5 | 81.5 |
| 2003 | 77.5 | 80.9 |
| 2002 | 77.3 | 80.3 |
| 2001 | 76.9 | 79.8 |
| 2000 | 76.5 | 79.3 |
| 1999 | 76.2 | 78.9 |
| 1998 | 75.9 | 78.6 |
| 1997 | 75.6 | 78.4 |
| 1996 | 75.4 | 78.3 |
| 1995 | 75.1 | 78.3 |
| 1994 | 74.9 | 78.3 |
| 1993 | 74.6 | 78.4 |
| 1992 | 74.4 | 78.4 |
| 1991 | 74.2 | 78.6 |
| 1990 | 74.1 | 78.7 |
| 1989 | 73.9 | 78.8 |
| 1988 | 73.8 | 79 |
| 1987 | 73.7 | 79.2 |
| 1986 | 73.6 | 79.3 |
| 1985 | 73.6 | 79.5 |
| 1984 | 73.5 | 79.7 |
| 1983 | 73.4 | 80 |
| 1982 | 73.4 | 80.3 |
| 1981 | 73.3 | 80.7 |
| 1980 | 73.3 | 81.1 |
| 1979 | 73.2 | 81.8 |
| 1978 | 73.2 | 82.6 |
| 1977 | 73.1 | 83.4 |
| 1976 | 73.1 | 83.9 |
| 1975 | 73 | 83.9 |
| 1974 | 72.9 | 83.7 |
| 1973 | 72.7 | 83.2 |
| 1972 | 72.3 | 82.6 |
| 1971 | 71.9 | 82 |
| 1970 | 71.4 | 81.2 |
| 1969 | 70.8 | 80.5 |
| 1968 | 70.2 | 79.8 |
| 1967 | 69.5 | 79.2 |
| 1966 | 68.4 | 78.5 |
| 1965 | 67.2 | 77.8 |
| 1964 | 65.9 | 77.1 |
| 1963 | 64.6 | 76.3 |
| 1962 | 63.5 | 75.5 |
| 1961 | 62.5 | 74.5 |
| 1960 | 61.7 | 73.5 |
| 1959 | 60.9 | 72.3 |
| 1958 | 60.1 | 70.9 |
| 1957 | 59.4 | 69.4 |
| 1956 | 58.7 | 67.7 |
| 1955 | 58 | 65.8 |
| 1954 | 57.4 | 63.8 |
| 1953 | 56.7 | 61.6 |
| 1952 | 56.1 | 59.4 |
| 1951 | 55.4 | 57 |
| 1950 | 54.7 | 54.5 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | France | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78.9 | 86.1 |
| 2027 | 79 | 86.2 |
| 2028 | 79.1 | 86.4 |
| 2029 | 79.2 | 86.5 |
| 2030 | 79.4 | 86.6 |
| 2031 | 79.6 | 86.7 |
| 2032 | 79.7 | 86.8 |
| 2033 | 80 | 87 |
| 2034 | 80.2 | 87.1 |
| 2035 | 80.4 | 87.2 |
| 2036 | 80.7 | 87.2 |
| 2037 | 81 | 87.3 |
| 2038 | 81.3 | 87.4 |
| 2039 | 81.6 | 87.5 |
| 2040 | 81.9 | 87.6 |
| 2041 | 82.3 | 87.6 |
| 2042 | 82.7 | 87.7 |
| 2043 | 83.1 | 87.7 |
| 2044 | 83.5 | 87.8 |
| 2045 | 83.9 | 87.8 |
| 2046 | 84.3 | 87.8 |
| 2047 | 84.8 | 87.9 |
| 2048 | 85.3 | 87.9 |
| 2049 | 85.8 | 87.9 |
| 2050 | 86.3 | 87.9 |
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