The line graph compares the proportions of people living in cities in four Asian countries, namely the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, from 1970 to 2020, with forecasts for 2030 and 2040.
Overall, urbanisation is expected to increase in all four countries over the period. Malaysia records the highest proportion of urban residents for most of the timeline and is predicted to remain the most urbanised country by 2040. By contrast, Thailand has the lowest figures throughout, while Indonesia experiences the most rapid growth after 2000.
In 1970, around 30% of Malaysia’s population lived in cities, compared with approximately 30% in the Philippines. The figures for Thailand and Indonesia were much lower, at about 18% and 13% respectively. Malaysia then saw a steady rise, reaching roughly 60% in 2000 and 80% in 2030, before climbing slightly to around 82% by 2040.
The Philippines increased to just under 50% in 1990, after which its urban population declined gradually to about 42% in 2010. It is then projected to recover, reaching approximately 55% by 2040. Indonesia followed a different trend, remaining at around 30% until 2000 before rising sharply to 50% in 2020 and an estimated 63% in 2040. Thailand experienced the slowest growth, increasing from about 18% in 1970 to roughly 33% in 2020, with further growth to around 50% expected by the end of the period.