Urban Population: Latvia
Latvia's urban population is currently 68.5% as of 2024. # Latvia Urban Population Latvia's urban population stands at 68.
Current (2024)
68.5%
+0.2% y/y
Peak (1988)
70.8%
Low (1960)
57.1%
Source
World Bank World Development Indicators
1960–2024 · 65 pts
Urban Population — Latvia
1960 — 2024
Urban Population — Latvia
Analysis# Latvia Urban Population
Latvia's urban population stands at 68.484% in 2024, reflecting a long-term urbanization pattern that has added 20 percentage points since 1960, when only 57.084% of the population lived in cities. The country peaked at 70.808% urban residents in 1988, during the Soviet period, before experiencing a modest decline. Current urbanization levels remain 2.3 percentage points below that historical high, positioning Latvia among Europe's moderately urbanized nations.
Recent years show steady growth in urban concentration. Between 2015 and 2024, the urban share increased consistently from 67.897% to 68.484%, gaining 0.587 percentage points across the decade. This upward momentum suggests ongoing rural-to-urban migration despite Latvia's overall population decline, indicating that remaining residents increasingly concentrate in urban centers rather than distributed across countryside settlements.
Historical Data
65 Rows| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 68.5% | +0.18% |
| 2023 | 68.4% | +0.15% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | +0.11% |
| 2021 | 68.2% | +0.09% |
| 2020 | 68.1% | +0.08% |
| 2019 | 68.1% | +0.07% |
| 2018 | 68.0% | +0.07% |
| 2017 | 68.0% | +0.06% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | +0.05% |
| 2015 | 67.9% | +0.04% |
| 2014 | 67.9% | +0.03% |
| 2013 | 67.8% | +0.02% |
| 2012 | 67.8% | +0.01% |
| 2011 | 67.8% | +0.00% |
| 2010 | 67.8% | -0.01% |
| 2009 | 67.8% | -0.01% |
| 2008 | 67.8% | -0.02% |
| 2007 | 67.9% | -0.03% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | -0.03% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | -0.04% |
Show all 65 rows
| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 67.9% | -0.04% |
| 2003 | 67.9% | -0.05% |
| 2002 | 68.0% | -0.05% |
| 2001 | 68.0% | -0.05% |
| 2000 | 68.1% | -0.11% |
| 1999 | 68.1% | -0.25% |
| 1998 | 68.3% | -0.36% |
| 1997 | 68.5% | -0.45% |
| 1996 | 68.8% | -0.49% |
| 1995 | 69.2% | -0.51% |
| 1994 | 69.5% | -0.50% |
| 1993 | 69.9% | -0.46% |
| 1992 | 70.2% | -0.39% |
| 1991 | 70.5% | -0.29% |
| 1990 | 70.7% | -0.15% |
| 1989 | 70.8% | -0.00% |
| 1988 | 70.8% | +0.14% |
| 1987 | 70.7% | +0.25% |
| 1986 | 70.5% | +0.36% |
| 1985 | 70.3% | +0.44% |
| 1984 | 70.0% | +0.51% |
| 1983 | 69.6% | +0.56% |
| 1982 | 69.2% | +0.59% |
| 1981 | 68.8% | +0.61% |
| 1980 | 68.4% | +0.61% |
| 1979 | 68.0% | +0.62% |
| 1978 | 67.6% | +0.72% |
| 1977 | 67.1% | +0.82% |
| 1976 | 66.5% | +0.91% |
| 1975 | 65.9% | +0.97% |
| 1974 | 65.3% | +1.01% |
| 1973 | 64.7% | +1.03% |
| 1972 | 64.0% | +1.02% |
| 1971 | 63.4% | +0.99% |
| 1970 | 62.7% | +0.95% |
| 1969 | 62.1% | +0.91% |
| 1968 | 61.6% | +0.89% |
| 1967 | 61.0% | +0.88% |
| 1966 | 60.5% | +0.89% |
| 1965 | 60.0% | +0.90% |
| 1964 | 59.4% | +0.93% |
| 1963 | 58.9% | +0.98% |
| 1962 | 58.3% | +1.04% |
| 1961 | 57.7% | +1.11% |
| 1960 | 57.1% | — |
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