The chart below illustrates the percentage of people from four Asian nations—namely, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia—residing in cities from 1970 to 2020, with forecasts for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, the percentage of city residents has shown an upward trend. The populations of Malaysia and Indonesia have consistently increased throughout the entire period without any decline, whereas the populations of the Philippines and Thailand have fluctuated, peaking, dipping, and ultimately stabilizing.
In 1970, the nation with the highest percentage of city residents was the Philippines, with over 30%, while Indonesia had the lowest percentage, at around 15%. Malaysia and Thailand had city resident percentages of approximately 30% and nearly 20%, respectively. Malaysia and Indonesia experienced steady growth, peaking at around 75% and 60%, respectively, in 2020. The Philippines peaked at 50% in 1990, saw a decline, and maintained the same percentage by the end of the period. Thailand’s trend peaked in 1990 and plateaued at around 30% until 2020.
Regarding the predictions, all nations’ city populations are expected to follow an increasing trend. By 2040, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are projected to reach 80%, 60%, 50%, and 40%, respectively
