Central African Republic’s urban population rose to 44.6% of population in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. A rising share can reflect people moving to towns for work, schooling or safety, and it can also reflect villages growing into towns. Either path shifts the demands on a country, so the direction carries no verdict by itself. The latest figure is 44.6% of population in January 2025, up from 44.1% a year earlier, a rise of 0.43 percentage points. Since 2016 the share has ranged from 40.4% of population in January 2016 to the current 44.6%, so the latest reading sits at the top of its range over that span.

Why it matters. With 44.6% of population living in urban areas, close to half of Central African Republic's people depend on town services and urban markets. Households in towns buy more of their food and rely on rented housing, water and electricity supply. The state and local authorities face growing demand for school places, clinics and roads in Bangui and other towns, while rural areas hold the remaining share of farmers who supply those markets.