Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 85.7% in Switzerland and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Switzerland, by 2.4 percentage points, or 1.03 times that in United Kingdom.
SwitzerlandUnited Kingdom
Watch it change on the mapChange since 1950, percentage points · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 85.7 2025 | 75.6 | 49 of 229 | 89 2050 |
| United Kingdom | 83.3 2025 | 81.8 | 54 of 229 | 84.4 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Switzerland has been higher since 2021, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Switzerland ranked 49 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Switzerland at 89% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 85.7 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 85.5 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 85.2 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 84.9 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 84.2 | 83 |
| 2020 | 82.3 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 80.8 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 79.3 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 77.9 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 76.7 | 82 |
| 2015 | 75.6 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 74.7 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 74.1 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 73.8 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 73.7 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 73.6 | 81 |
| 2009 | 73.6 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 73.6 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 73.5 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 73.5 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 73.5 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 73.5 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 73.5 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 73.4 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 73.4 | 80 |
| 2000 | 73.3 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 73.1 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 72.9 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 72.5 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 72 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 71.5 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 71 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 70.4 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 69.8 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 69.2 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 68.7 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 68 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 67.3 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 66.5 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 65.6 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 64.8 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 64 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 63.2 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 62.4 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 61.8 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 61.3 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 60.8 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 60.4 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 60.1 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 59.7 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 59.4 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 59.1 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 58.7 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 58.3 | 77 |
| 1971 | 57.9 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 57.4 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 56.9 | 77 |
| 1968 | 56.3 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 55.7 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 55.1 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 54.4 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 53.7 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 53 | 78 |
| 1962 | 52.4 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 51.7 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 51 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 50.4 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 49.7 | 79 |
| 1957 | 49 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 48.3 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 47.6 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 46.9 | 80 |
| 1953 | 46.2 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 45.6 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 44.9 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 44.3 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 86 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 86.2 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 86.5 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 86.7 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 86.9 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 87.1 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 87.3 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 87.5 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 87.7 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 87.8 | 84 |
| 2036 | 88 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 88.1 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 88.2 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 88.4 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 88.5 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 88.6 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 88.7 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 88.7 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 88.8 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 88.9 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 88.9 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 89 | 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