Concrete jungles: the world’s most urban countries

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We take a look at the world’s most urban countries and why they go hand in hand with the most stressed

City life is stressful. It presses on our weary bones, wafts through windows on pungent fumes and boxes up our personal space.

It affects our mental health and, according to a 2011 study by neuroscientist Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, increases the risk of mood and anxiety disorders including depression and schizophrenia.

The specific causes of city stress are unconfirmed but it’s likely we can safely assume a mix of toxins, pollutants, noise and social behaviours unique to cities.

hong kong is one of the world's most urban countries
EarnestTse/Shutterstock Some countries are already 100% urbanised

Noise, in particular, has been identified as a culprit of heightened stress among city dwellers. A 2014 study based in the Dutch city of Maastricht found that “residents of neighbourhoods with more car traffic nuisance and more disturbance from railway noise reported worse mental health.”

Here at Atlas & Boots, we always encourage people to get outdoors into nature and disconnect. Studies frequently reinforce the positive effects the outdoors has on our mental health. Even a short walk in nature just once a week can improve one’s mental wellbeing. 

With increasing urbanisation all across the world, it’s clear that governments need to examine and invest in ways to mitigate the negative effects of city living.

map of the worlds most urban countries
World Bank The world’s most urban countries

In some countries, the percentage of the population living in urban areas has already reached 100. Below, we list the world’s most urban countries based on data from The World Bank.

World’s most urban countries – ranked

This is based on the percentage of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices, and is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanisation Prospects.

RankCountry %
1Hong Kong SAR, China100
2Kuwait100
3Macao SAR, China100
4Monaco100
5Singapore100
6Qatar99.188
7Belgium98.041
8San Marino97.368
9Uruguay95.426
10Malta94.678
11Iceland93.855
12Israel92.501
13Argentina91.991
14Netherlands91.876
15Japan91.698
16Luxembourg91.223
17Jordan91.203
18Gabon89.741
19Bahrain89.394
20Lebanon88.758
21Venezuela88.240
22Denmark87.994
23Andorra87.984
24Sweden87.708
25Chile87.643
26Greenland87.052
27Brazil86.824
28UAE86.789
29New Zealand86.615
30Australia86.124
31Finland85.446
32Oman85.443
33Saudi Arabia84.065
34UK83.652
35Bahamas83.132
36Norway82.616
37US82.459
38Dominican Rep.81.828
39Canada81.482
40South Korea81.430
41Colombia81.104
42France80.709
43Spain80.565
44Palau80.470
45Mexico80.444
46Libya80.393
47Costa Rica80.076
48Greece79.388
49Belarus79.044
50Peru78.099
51Brunei Darussalam77.942
52Djibouti77.915
53Marshall Islands77.417
54Germany77.376
55Cuba77.109
56Malaysia76.607
57West Bank & Gaza76.440
58Turkey75.63
59Iran75.391
60Bulgaria75.347
61Russia74.587
62Czech Rep.73.921
63Switzerland73.849
64Sao Tome & Principe73.598
65Algeria73.189
66El Salvador72.746
67Equatorial Guinea72.627
68Hungary71.644
69Dominica70.786
70Italy70.736
71Iraq70.678
72Botswana70.172
73Bolivia69.773
74Ukraine69.473
75Tunisia69.254
76Estonia69.051
77Mongolia68.543
78Latvia68.222
79Panama68.059
80Lithuania67.855
81Congo67.373
82Montenegro67.150
83South Africa66.856
84Cyprus66.805
85Cabo Verde66.195
86Angola66.177
87Suriname66.095
88Portugal65.764
89Ecuador63.986
90Ireland63.405
91Armenia63.219
92Tuvalu63.215
93Morocco62.994
94North Korea62.134
95Gambia61.931
96French Polynesia61.897
97Paraguay61.879
98Albania61.229
99China60.308
100Poland60.037
101Georgia59.039
102Nicaragua58.760
103Austria58.515
104North Macedonia58.208
105Honduras57.730
106Kazakhstan57.540
107Croatia57.242
108Seychelles57.119
109Cameroon56.968
110Fiji56.750
111Ghana56.707
112Serbia56.260
113Haiti56.192
114Azerbaijan56.031
115Indonesia55.985
116Jamaica55.985
117Kiribati54.835
118Slovenia54.822
119Syria54.821
120Mauritania54.507
121Romania54.084
122Slovakia53.729
123Trinidad & Tobago53.187
124Isle of Man52.735
125Turkmenistan52.048
126Liberia51.615
127Guatemala51.439
128Cote d'Ivoire51.239
129Nigeria51.157
130Namibia51.042
131Thailand50.692
132Uzbekistan50.433
133Bosnia & Herz.48.626
134Benin47.861
135Senegal47.653
136Philippines47.149
137Belize45.866
138Somalia45.554
139DR Congo45.046
140Zambia44.072
141Guinea-Bissau43.777
142Aruba43.546
143Mali43.136
144Egypt42.730
145Moldova42.726
146Sierra Leone42.484
147Togo42.248
148Faroe Islands42.225
149Central African Rep.41.770
150Bhutan41.612
151Mauritius40.766
152Maldives40.238
153Madagascar37.861
154Bangladesh37.405
155Yemen37.273
156Pakistan36.907
157Vietnam36.628
158Kyrgyz Rep.36.591
159Mozambique36.528
160Guinea36.500
161Grenada36.396
162Eritrea35.771
163Lao PDR35.645
164Sudan34.936
165Tanzania34.500
166India34.472
167Zimbabwe32.21
168Barbados31.158
169Timor-Leste30.947
170Myanmar30.852
171St. Kitts & Nevis30.799
172Burkina Faso29.980
173Comoros29.164
174Lesotho28.585
175Kenya27.507
176Tajikistan27.309
177Guyana26.689
178Afghanistan25.754
179Vanuatu25.394
180Antigua & Barbuda24.506
181Uganda24.361
182Solomon Islands24.210
183Eswatini23.981
184Cambodia23.805
185Chad23.279
186Tonga23.107
187Micronesia22.812
188Ethiopia21.225
189Nepal20.153
190South Sudan19.899
191St. Lucia18.754
192Sri Lanka18.585
193Samoa18.056
194Rwanda17.313
195Malawi17.174
196Niger16.517
197Liechtenstein14.371
198Burundi13.366
199Papua New Guinea13.250

Source: The World Bank


For incredible, beautiful, terrifying depictions of life in Hong Kong, see Architecture of Density by Michael Wolf. 

Lead image: pkproject/SHutterstock

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