Population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Population living in slums was 36.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
36.1%
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
13th
of 33 groups
All-time high
52.9%
in 2000
All-time low
35.9%
in 2020
Years of data
12
2000–2022

Population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 2000–2022

02040602000201120222000: 52.9 % of urban population2002: 52 % of urban population2004: 50.2 % of urban population2006: 46.1 % of urban population2008: 44.1 % of urban population2010: 42.2 % of urban population2012: 40.1 % of urban population2014: 37.4 % of urban population2016: 36.4 % of urban population2018: 36.2 % of urban population2020: 35.9 % of urban population2022: 36.1 % of urban population

Source: Urban Indicators Database, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Measured in % of urban population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) is 36.1%, measured in 2022.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 52.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 35.9%, in 2020.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 13th out of 33 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.

Population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Population living in slums (% of urban population) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 2000 to 2022.
Year % of urban population Change
2000 52.9%
2002 52.0% -1.8%
2004 50.2% -3.5%
2006 46.1% -8.2%
2008 44.1% -4.3%
2010 42.2% -4.3%
2012 40.1% -5.0%
2014 37.4% -6.8%
2016 36.4% -2.6%
2018 36.2% -0.5%
2020 35.9% -1.0%
2022 36.1% +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 49.1% 44.1% 52.9% 5
2010s 38.5% 36.2% 42.2% 5
2020s 36.0% 35.9% 36.1% 2

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

  1. 10 Niger 70.4% compare
  2. 11 Tanzania 70.1% compare
  3. 12 Central African Republic 68.9% compare
  4. 13 Madagascar 65.7% compare
  5. 14 Equatorial Guinea 64.7% compare
  6. 15 Ethiopia 64.3% compare
  7. 16 Benin 64.0% compare

See the full ranking of 207 places →

Frequently asked questions

What is population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 36.1% in 2022, according to Urban Indicators Database, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
What is the highest population living in slums recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 52.9% in 2000.
What is the lowest population living in slums recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 35.9% in 2020.
How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for population living in slums?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 13th out of 33 groups with data for 2022.
Is population living in slums rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) data come from?
The figures come from Urban Indicators Database, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), published as part of Population living in slums (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population living in slums in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on Urban Indicators Database, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/population-living-in-slums-percent-of-urban-population/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Population living in slums (% of urban population)
Unit
% of urban population
Source
Urban Indicators Database, UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
207 places, 2,376 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

Population living in slums is the proportion of the urban population living in slum households. A slum household is defined as a group of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, housing durability, and security of tenure, as adopted in the Millennium Development Goal Target 7.D. The successor, the Sustainable Development Goal 11.1.1, considers inadequate housing (housing affordability) to complement the above definition of slums/informal settlements.