Sweden vs United Kingdom
Sweden vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 89.1% in Sweden and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Sweden, by 5.8 percentage points, or 1.07 times that in United Kingdom.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- Sweden has been higher since 1966, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Sweden ranked 38 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Sweden at 92.9% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 89.1 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 88.9 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 88.6 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 88.4 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 88.2 | 83 |
| 2020 | 87.9 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 87.7 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 87.5 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 87.2 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 87 | 82 |
| 2015 | 86.6 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 86.3 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 85.9 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 85.6 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 85.4 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 85.1 | 81 |
| 2009 | 84.9 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 84.8 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 84.6 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 84.5 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 84.4 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 84.3 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 84.2 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 84.1 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 84.1 | 80 |
| 2000 | 84 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 84 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 84 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 84 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 83.9 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 83.9 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 83.8 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 83.7 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 83.6 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 83.5 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 83.4 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 83.3 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 83.2 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 83.2 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 83.1 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 83.1 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 83.1 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 83.1 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 83.1 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 83.1 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 83.1 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 83.1 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 83 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 82.9 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 82.8 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 82.7 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 82.5 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 82.3 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 82 | 77 |
| 1971 | 81.7 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 81.2 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 80.6 | 77 |
| 1968 | 79.8 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 78.9 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 78 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 77.1 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 76.2 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 75.3 | 78 |
| 1962 | 74.3 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 73.4 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 72.5 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 71.6 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 70.8 | 79 |
| 1957 | 70 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 69.2 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 68.5 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 67.7 | 80 |
| 1953 | 67 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 66.2 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 65.5 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 64.7 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Sweden | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 89.3 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 89.5 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 89.7 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 89.9 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 90.1 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 90.3 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 90.5 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 90.7 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 90.9 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 91.1 | 84 |
| 2036 | 91.3 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 91.4 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 91.6 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 91.7 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 91.9 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 92 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 92.2 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 92.3 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 92.4 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 92.5 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 92.6 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 92.7 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 92.8 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 92.9 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 92.9 | 84.4 |
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
Sweden vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySweden: 83.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySweden: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySweden: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSweden: 99.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSweden: 4.49% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSweden: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSweden: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSweden: 0.56% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSweden: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Median ageSweden: 39.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSweden: 20.5% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSweden: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSweden: 2.47% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSweden: $15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personSweden: $1,549 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSweden: 5% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSweden: 15,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSweden: 0.19% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSweden: 0.27% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSweden: 146 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSweden: 235 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025