Olusegun Ariyo
Contents
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has released the World Urbanisation Prospects 2025, https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/world-urbanisation-prospects-2025, presenting a clearer global picture of where people live and how settlements are changing. For the first time, the report uses the Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) – a harmonised, geospatial method for classifying cities, towns and rural areas.The new approach shows that the world is considerably more urban than national statistics indicate. According to DEGURBA, 81 per cent of the global population lives in cities and towns, compared to 58 per cent under conventional national definitions. The report also confirms that most population growth through 2050 will occur in cities, with towns absorbing much of the remainder.“This edition of WUP is transformative,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. “It gives us unprecedented clarity on the realities of human settlements, from large metropolitan regions to fast-growing secondary towns.”The integration of DEGURBA – developed by the European Commission and endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission by UN-Habitat’s support – also reveals that many settlements functioning as towns remain labelled “rural” in national statistics, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and in Central and Southern Asia. The report highlights that built-up areas have expanded almost twice as fast as the population since 1975, underscoring the risks linked to unplanned growth and land conversion.UN-Habitat has supported countries in adopting DEGURBA since 2018, helping national statistical offices use the method for SDG 11 monitoring, urban policy development and geospatial data systems. More than 100 countries have participated in global and regional workshops, with direct technical assistance provided to 17 of them.“These findings reinforce the need for well-planned, inclusive cities and towns, especially in Africa and Asia,” Rossbach said. “The world is more urban than we thought – which makes it even more urgent to tackle the global housing crisis now. How countries manage rapid urban growth will shape progress on the SDGs and climate resilience.”
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) has released the World Urbanisation Prospects 2025, https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/world-urbanisation-prospects-2025, presenting a clearer global picture of where people live and how settlements are changing. For the first time, the report uses the Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) – a harmonised, geospatial method for classifying cities, towns and rural areas.
The new approach shows that the world is considerably more urban than national statistics indicate. According to DEGURBA, 81 per cent of the global population lives in cities and towns, compared to 58 per cent under conventional national definitions. The report also confirms that most population growth through 2050 will occur in cities, with towns absorbing much of the remainder.
“This edition of WUP is transformative,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. “It gives us unprecedented clarity on the realities of human settlements, from large metropolitan regions to fast-growing secondary towns.”
The integration of DEGURBA – developed by the European Commission and endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission by UN-Habitat’s support – also reveals that many settlements functioning as towns remain labelled “rural” in national statistics, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and in Central and Southern Asia. The report highlights that built-up areas have expanded almost twice as fast as the population since 1975, underscoring the risks linked to unplanned growth and land conversion.
UN-Habitat has supported countries in adopting DEGURBA since 2018, helping national statistical offices use the method for SDG 11 monitoring, urban policy development and geospatial data systems. More than 100 countries have participated in global and regional workshops, with direct technical assistance provided to 17 of them.
“These findings reinforce the need for well-planned, inclusive cities and towns, especially in Africa and Asia,” Rossbach said. “The world is more urban than we thought – which makes it even more urgent to tackle the global housing crisis now. How countries manage rapid urban growth will shape progress on the SDGs and climate resilience.”
The 2025 findings strengthen the case for integrated territorial planning, improved urban–rural linkages and better use of geospatial and statistical data – priorities central to UN-Habitat’s mandate and essential for implementing SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda.
