Malawi vs Somalia: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 17.6% in Malawi and 55.1% in Somalia, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Somalia, by 37.6 percentage points, or 3.13 times that in Malawi.
MalawiSomalia
Watch it change on the mapChange since 2010, percentage points · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malawi | 17.6 2025 | 15.8 | 224 of 229 | 35 2050 |
| Somalia | 55.1 2025 | 43.9 | 151 of 229 | 61.3 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Somalia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2025, Malawi ranked 224 and Somalia ranked 151 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Malawi at 35% and Somalia at 61.3% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Malawi | Somalia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17.6 | 55.1 |
| 2024 | 17.3 | 54.6 |
| 2023 | 17 | 54.1 |
| 2022 | 16.7 | 53.5 |
| 2021 | 16.5 | 52.9 |
| 2020 | 16.3 | 52.3 |
| 2019 | 16.1 | 51.6 |
| 2018 | 16 | 51 |
| 2017 | 16 | 48.4 |
| 2016 | 15.9 | 45.9 |
| 2015 | 15.8 | 43.9 |
| 2014 | 15.8 | 42.4 |
| 2013 | 15.7 | 41.3 |
| 2012 | 15.6 | 40.3 |
| 2011 | 15.6 | 39.4 |
| 2010 | 15.5 | 38.6 |
| 2009 | 15.4 | 37.8 |
| 2008 | 15.3 | 37.2 |
| 2007 | 15.3 | 36.6 |
| 2006 | 15.2 | 36 |
| 2005 | 15.1 | 35.5 |
| 2004 | 15 | 35 |
| 2003 | 15 | 34.5 |
| 2002 | 14.9 | 34 |
| 2001 | 14.8 | 33.5 |
| 2000 | 14.7 | 33.1 |
| 1999 | 14.6 | 32.6 |
| 1998 | 14.4 | 32.2 |
| 1997 | 14.2 | 31.8 |
| 1996 | 14 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 13.6 | 31.1 |
| 1994 | 13.3 | 30.7 |
| 1993 | 12.9 | 30.4 |
| 1992 | 12.5 | 30 |
| 1991 | 12 | 29.7 |
| 1990 | 11.6 | 29.4 |
| 1989 | 11.3 | 29.1 |
| 1988 | 10.9 | 28.8 |
| 1987 | 10.6 | 28.5 |
| 1986 | 10.4 | 28.2 |
| 1985 | 10.1 | 28 |
| 1984 | 9.9 | 27.7 |
| 1983 | 9.7 | 27.5 |
| 1982 | 9.5 | 27.3 |
| 1981 | 9.3 | 27.1 |
| 1980 | 9.1 | 26.9 |
| 1979 | 8.9 | 26.6 |
| 1978 | 8.7 | 26.4 |
| 1977 | 8.4 | 26.1 |
| 1976 | 8.1 | 25.8 |
| 1975 | 7.8 | 25.5 |
| 1974 | 7.4 | 25.2 |
| 1973 | 7 | 24.8 |
| 1972 | 6.5 | 24.3 |
| 1971 | 6.1 | 23.8 |
| 1970 | 5.7 | 23.2 |
| 1969 | 5.4 | 22.7 |
| 1968 | 5.1 | 22.1 |
| 1967 | 4.8 | 21.5 |
| 1966 | 4.7 | 20.9 |
| 1965 | 4.6 | 20.3 |
| 1964 | 4.5 | 19.7 |
| 1963 | 4.3 | 19.2 |
| 1962 | 4.2 | 18.7 |
| 1961 | 4.1 | 18.2 |
| 1960 | 4 | 17.7 |
| 1959 | 4 | 17.2 |
| 1958 | 3.9 | 16.7 |
| 1957 | 3.8 | 16.2 |
| 1956 | 3.7 | 15.7 |
| 1955 | 3.7 | 15.2 |
| 1954 | 3.6 | 14.7 |
| 1953 | 3.6 | 14.2 |
| 1952 | 3.6 | 13.7 |
| 1951 | 3.5 | 13.3 |
| 1950 | 3.5 | 12.9 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Malawi | Somalia |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 55.6 |
| 2027 | 18.3 | 56.1 |
| 2028 | 18.8 | 56.6 |
| 2029 | 19.2 | 57 |
| 2030 | 19.7 | 57.4 |
| 2031 | 20.2 | 57.8 |
| 2032 | 20.8 | 58.2 |
| 2033 | 21.3 | 58.5 |
| 2034 | 21.9 | 58.8 |
| 2035 | 22.6 | 59.1 |
| 2036 | 23.2 | 59.4 |
| 2037 | 23.9 | 59.6 |
| 2038 | 24.6 | 59.9 |
| 2039 | 25.3 | 60.1 |
| 2040 | 26.1 | 60.3 |
| 2041 | 26.9 | 60.5 |
| 2042 | 27.7 | 60.6 |
| 2043 | 28.5 | 60.8 |
| 2044 | 29.4 | 60.9 |
| 2045 | 30.3 | 61 |
| 2046 | 31.2 | 61.1 |
| 2047 | 32.1 | 61.2 |
| 2048 | 33 | 61.2 |
| 2049 | 34 | 61.2 |
| 2050 | 35 | 61.3 |
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