The data illustrates the proportion of people living in cities in four Asian countries between 1970 and 2020, with predictions for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the percentage of the population living in cities in the four countries increased exponentially throughout the specified period of time. Malaysia had the highest raise in percentage, while Thailand experienced the lowest one.
In 1970, the percentage of city residents in Malaysia and Indonesia were 30% and slightly above 10% respectively. Malaysia’s proportion rose steadily, outpacing the other three countries, reaching around 85% in 2040. In the meantime, Indonesia’s percentage climbed to become the second-highest population at nearly 60% in 2040.
In Philippines, the population in cities went up sharply, reaching 50% in the first two decades, then fluctuated modestly to become around 55% by 2040, while in Thailand it climbed slightly to 30% and remained nearly the same for the following 30 years until 2020, where it increased furthermore to approximately 45% at the end of the period.
