Edinburgh — UN urban centre population
Edinburgh has a recorded base population of 521,784 for the UN urban centre definition (2025 annual estimate). UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; the moving counter uses UN 2025–2026 annual growth, not new population observations.
At a glance
Separate UN urban-centre definition
Edinburgh UN urban centre: 521,784 people (2025), equal to the displayed UN urban centre figure of 521,784. Separate GeoNames settlement record: 514,990; the UN value is larger (different boundaries; GeoNames population date unavailable). UN WUP 2025 Degree of Urbanisation; not a municipal/province boundary. Association: name/country/coordinates matched; boundary relationship unverified. No containment claim is made.
Comparable database records
Same definition label: UN urban centre. Dates/boundaries may still differ; this is not a harmonised international city ranking. Ratios use 521,784 as denominator.
| Place | Population | vs Edinburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Málaga | 521,854 | +0.0% |
| Thiès | 521,678 | −0.0% |
| Shabqadar | 521,259 | −0.1% |
| Jember | 522,844 | +0.2% |
| Shahkot | 520,664 | −0.2% |
About these numbers
Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025. Reference: 2025 annual estimate. Live method: exponential projection from modelling anchor 2025-01-01 using UN 2025–2026 annual growth (+0.17% per year). This anchor is a modelling convention, not an observed population date. Tiles, ranks and comparisons use the recorded base figure 521,784, not the ticking estimate. Country/world denominators are World Bank values and can differ in date and method from local/UN values. Ranks cover only records with the same definition label in this database, not all cities in the world.
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This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.