Japan vs Netherlands: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 92.3% in Japan and 95.9% in Netherlands, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Netherlands, by 3.6 percentage points, or 1.04 times that in Japan.
JapanNetherlands
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 92.3 2025 | 91.4 | 28 of 229 | 96 2050 |
| Netherlands | 95.9 2025 | 90.3 | 17 of 229 | 98.9 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Netherlands has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Japan.
- In 2025, Japan ranked 28 and Netherlands ranked 17 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Japan at 96% and Netherlands at 98.9% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Japan | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.3 | 95.9 |
| 2024 | 92.2 | 95.6 |
| 2023 | 92.1 | 95.3 |
| 2022 | 92 | 95 |
| 2021 | 91.9 | 94.6 |
| 2020 | 91.8 | 94.3 |
| 2019 | 91.7 | 93.9 |
| 2018 | 91.6 | 92.6 |
| 2017 | 91.6 | 91.1 |
| 2016 | 91.5 | 90.6 |
| 2015 | 91.4 | 90.3 |
| 2014 | 91.3 | 89.8 |
| 2013 | 91.2 | 89.2 |
| 2012 | 91 | 88.5 |
| 2011 | 90.9 | 88 |
| 2010 | 90.6 | 87.4 |
| 2009 | 90.1 | 86.2 |
| 2008 | 89.3 | 85.6 |
| 2007 | 88.3 | 85.4 |
| 2006 | 87.2 | 84.7 |
| 2005 | 86 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 84.4 | 82.3 |
| 2003 | 82.4 | 81.3 |
| 2002 | 80.6 | 80.8 |
| 2001 | 79.2 | 80.2 |
| 2000 | 78.6 | 78.5 |
| 1999 | 78.5 | 77.1 |
| 1998 | 78.3 | 76.8 |
| 1997 | 78.2 | 75.6 |
| 1996 | 78.1 | 72.4 |
| 1995 | 78 | 70.7 |
| 1994 | 77.9 | 70.4 |
| 1993 | 77.8 | 69.8 |
| 1992 | 77.6 | 69.3 |
| 1991 | 77.5 | 69.2 |
| 1990 | 77.3 | 69 |
| 1989 | 77.2 | 68.8 |
| 1988 | 77.1 | 68.4 |
| 1987 | 76.9 | 68.2 |
| 1986 | 76.8 | 68 |
| 1985 | 76.7 | 67.6 |
| 1984 | 76.6 | 67.4 |
| 1983 | 76.5 | 66.9 |
| 1982 | 76.4 | 66.5 |
| 1981 | 76.3 | 65.7 |
| 1980 | 76.2 | 65 |
| 1979 | 76.1 | 64.8 |
| 1978 | 76.1 | 64.6 |
| 1977 | 76 | 64.6 |
| 1976 | 76 | 64.5 |
| 1975 | 75.9 | 64.4 |
| 1974 | 75.4 | 64.2 |
| 1973 | 74.6 | 63.5 |
| 1972 | 73.7 | 63.1 |
| 1971 | 72.7 | 62.8 |
| 1970 | 71.9 | 62.1 |
| 1969 | 71.1 | 61.8 |
| 1968 | 70.3 | 61.8 |
| 1967 | 69.5 | 61.6 |
| 1966 | 68.7 | 61.3 |
| 1965 | 67.9 | 61.2 |
| 1964 | 67 | 60.9 |
| 1963 | 66.1 | 60.3 |
| 1962 | 65.2 | 60.3 |
| 1961 | 64.3 | 60.1 |
| 1960 | 63.3 | 59.9 |
| 1959 | 62.3 | 59.8 |
| 1958 | 61.3 | 59.2 |
| 1957 | 60.1 | 58.7 |
| 1956 | 58.7 | 58.6 |
| 1955 | 56.8 | 58.5 |
| 1954 | 53.4 | 58.1 |
| 1953 | 48.7 | 57.3 |
| 1952 | 43.8 | 57 |
| 1951 | 39.6 | 57 |
| 1950 | 37 | 56.6 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Japan | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 92.4 | 96.2 |
| 2027 | 92.5 | 96.5 |
| 2028 | 92.7 | 96.7 |
| 2029 | 92.8 | 97 |
| 2030 | 92.9 | 97.2 |
| 2031 | 93 | 97.4 |
| 2032 | 93.1 | 97.6 |
| 2033 | 93.3 | 97.7 |
| 2034 | 93.4 | 97.9 |
| 2035 | 93.6 | 98 |
| 2036 | 93.7 | 98.2 |
| 2037 | 93.8 | 98.3 |
| 2038 | 94 | 98.4 |
| 2039 | 94.1 | 98.5 |
| 2040 | 94.3 | 98.6 |
| 2041 | 94.4 | 98.6 |
| 2042 | 94.6 | 98.7 |
| 2043 | 94.8 | 98.7 |
| 2044 | 94.9 | 98.8 |
| 2045 | 95.1 | 98.8 |
| 2046 | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| 2047 | 95.5 | 98.9 |
| 2048 | 95.6 | 98.9 |
| 2049 | 95.8 | 98.9 |
| 2050 | 96 | 98.9 |
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