A modal share (also called mode split, mode-share, or modal split) is the percentage of travelers using a particular type of transportation or number of trips using said type.[1] In freight transportation, this may be measured in mass.
Modal share is an important component in developing sustainable transport within a city or region. In recent years, many cities have set modal share targets for balanced and sustainable transport modes, particularly 30% of non-motorized (cycling and walking) and 30% of public transport. These goals reflect a desire for a modal shift, or a change between modes, and usually encompasses an increase in the proportion of trips made using sustainable modes.[2]
Modal share data is usually obtained by travel surveys, which are often conducted by local governments, using different methodologies. Sampling and interviewing techniques, definitions, the extent of geographical areas and other methodological differences can influence comparability. Most typical surveys refer to the main mode of transport used during trips to work.[3] Surveys covering entire metropolitan areas are preferred over city proper surveys which typically cover only the denser inner city.
The following tables present the modal split of journeys to work. Note that it is better to use a measure of all trips on a typical weekday, but journey to work data is more readily available. It would also be beneficial to disaggregate private motor vehicles figures to car driver, car passengers and motorbikes (especially relevant for Asian cities).
Metro area | walking | cycling | public transport | private motor vehicle | year | Survey Area | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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3% | 1% | 11% | 85% | 2016[4] | GCCSA | Australia |
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1% | 0% | 3% | 86% | 2016[5] | UA | USA |
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1% | 1% | 71% | 22% | 2019[6] | Mexico | |
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8% | 2% | 37% | 53% | 2006[7] | Greece | |
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5% | 1% | 12% | 81% | 2018[8] | MUA | New Zealand |
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2% | 1% | 3% | 83% | 2019[9] | USA | |
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3% | 0% | 7% | 84% | 2016[10] | UA | USA |
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34.35% | 2.28% | 37.33% | 26.04% | 2018[11] | Spain | |
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21% | 32% | 26% | 21% | 2005/2011[12] | China | |
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23% | 1% | 49% | 27% | 2015 | Serbia | |
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30% | 18% | 27% | 26% | 2018 | Germany | |
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4% | 1% | 14% | 81% | 2016[13] | GCCSA | Australia |
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36% | 9% | 24% | 29% | 2022[14] | Belgium | |
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15% | 2% | 64% | 19% | 2008[12] | Columbia | |
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5% | 1% | 14% | 73% | 2016[15] | UA | USA |
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31% | 2% | 27% | 36% | 2015[16] | Other(Taxi): 4% | Romania |
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32% | 1% | 47% | 20% | 2011 | Hungary | |
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4% | 1% | 8% | 84% | 2021 [17] | CMA | Canada |
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3% | 1% | 13% | 77% | 2016[18] | UA | USA |
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25% | 19% | 21% | 35% | 2017[19] | Germany | |
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1% | 0% | 2% | 90% | 2016[20] | UA | USA |
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26% | 2% | 28% | 44% | 2012[21] | South Korea | |
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21% | 12% | 48% | 19% | 2008/2011[12] | India | |
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1% | 0% | 2% | 92% | 2016[22] | USA | |
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2% | 1% | 4% | 81% | 2020[23] | UA | USA |
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19% | 39% | 29% | 13% | 2009[24] | Bangladesh | |
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18% | 7% | 15% | 59% | 2020[25] | Ireland | |
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3% | 1% | 6% | 87% | 2021 [26] | CMA | Canada |
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35% | 19% | 22% | 23% | 2021[27][28] | China | |
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22% | 22% | 24% | 32% | 2022[29] | Germany | |
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10.99% | 9.34% | 32.42% | 46% | 2016[30] | MA, Other: 0.5% | Finland |
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11% | 0.5% | 77% | 12% | 2011[31] | China | |
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1% | 0% | 2% | 91% | 2016[32] | UA | USA |
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1% | 0% | 1% | 91% | 2016[33] | UA | USA |
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1% | 0.2% | 20% | 78%* | 2019[34] | UA *67% motorbike | Indonesia |
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6.6% | 0.9% | 36.8% | 48.3% | 2019[35] | Taxi 1% | Malaysia |
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1% | 0% | 4% | 90% | 2016[36] | UA | USA |
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26% | 2.5% | 44.5% | 27% | 2020[37] | UK | |
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3% | 1% | 5% | 85% | 2016[38] | UA | USA |
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34% | 0.5% | 25% | 40% | 2018[39] | Spain | |
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9% | 2% | 44% | 45% | 2019[12] | Philippines | |
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4% | 2% | 19% | 76% | 2016[13] | GCCSA | Australia |
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2% | 1% | 4% | 87% | 2016[40] | UA | USA |
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18% | 10% | 41% | 29% | 2014[41] | Italy | |
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13% | 1% | 63% | 20% | 2016[42] | Belarus | |
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5% | 2% | 22% | 70% | 2016[43] | CMA | Canada |
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27% | 6% | 52% | 15% | 2008/2011[12] | India | |
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24% | 18% | 24% | 34% | 2017 | Germany | |
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15% | 13% | 30% | 43% | 2011[44] | Japan | |
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30.7% | 1.1% | 32.1% | 30.2% | 2019[45] | UA | USA |
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7% | 19% | 61% | 13% | 2010[46] | Japan | |
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8% | 2% | 18% | 72% | 2016[47] | CMA | Canada |
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15% | 5% | 59% | 20% | 2010[48] | France | |
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3% | 1% | 12% | 84% | 2016[13] | GCCSA | Australia |
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4% | 1% | 10% | 80% | 2016[49] | UA | USA |
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2% | 1% | 2% | 87% | 2016[50] | UA | USA |
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3% | 3% | 7% | 78% | 2016[51] | UA | USA |
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35% | 1% | 37% | 25% | 2021[52] | Czech Republic | |
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29% | 3% | 43% | 25% | 2012[53] | UA | Brazil |
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4% | 1% | 29% | 66% | 2014[54] | Italy | |
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2% | 0% | 3% | 90% | 2016[55] | UA | USA |
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3% | 1% | 3% | 85% | 2016[56] | UA | USA |
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5% | 2% | 20% | 64% | 2016[57] | UA | USA |
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2% | 2% | 5% | 84% | 2016[58] | UA | USA |
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34.5% | 4% | 29.6% | 25.7% | 2012[59] | UA | Chile |
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32% | 1% | 36% | 31% | 2017[60] | UA | Brazil |
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4% | 1% | 10% | 77% | 2016[61] | UA | USA |
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N/A | 4% | 66% | 23% | 2014[62] | South Korea | |
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27% | 20% | 33% | 20% | 2009/2011[12] | China | |
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22% | 1% | 44% | 33% | 2011[12] | Singapore | |
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N/A | N/A | 73%[a] | 27% | 2010[63] | Bulgaria | |
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14% | 7% | 47% | 32% | 2011[64] | Sweden | |
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5% | 1% | 27% | 67% | 2016[13] | GCCSA | Australia |
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13% | 4% | 43% | 40% | 2016[65] | Taiwan | |
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23% | 14% | 51% | 12% | 2008/2009[12] | Japan | |
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5% | 1% | 16% | 76% | 2021[66] | CMA | Canada |
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8% | 2% | 26% | 61% | 2021[67] | City | Canada |
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6% | 2% | 15% | 75% | 2021[68] | CMA | Canada |
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13% | 5% | 23% | 56% | 2021[69] | City | Canada |
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32% | 10% | 32% | 26% | 2023[70] | Austria | |
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18% | 3% | 47% | 32% | 2015[71] | Poland | |
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3% | 1% | 6% | 56% | 2022[72] | UA | USA |
Metro area | walking | cycling | public transport | private motor vehicle | year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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7% | 27% | 19% | 43% | 2004 |
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18% | 0% | 13% | 69% | 2004 |
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5% | 30% | 19% | 42% | 2020[73] |
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13% | 1% | 14% | 72% | 2001 |
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33% | 17% | 27% | 22% | 2015[74] |
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30% | 15% | 32% | 22% | 2015[74] |
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23% | 0% | 34% | 43% | 2004 |
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1% | 1% | 25% | 66% | 2001 |
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8% | 4% | 21% | 67% | 2001 |
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28% | 15% | 17% | 41% | 2017[75] |
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26.7% | 1.6% | 32.6% | 37.7% | 2014[76] |
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5% | 2% | 57% | 32% | 2012[77] |
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6% | 1% | 14% | 79% | 2012 |
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25% | 25% | 15% | 36% | 2018 |
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19% | 8% | 12% | 55% | 2011[78] |
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5% | 3% | 8% | 85% | 2016[13] |
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4% | 6% | 5% | 84% | 2018[8] |
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30% | 26% | 18% | 26% | 2021[79] |
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18% | 1% | 10% | 71% | 2004 |
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19% | 10% | 22% | 49% | 2019 |
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26% | 18% | 20% | 36% | 2018 |
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13.2% | 7.6% | 21.5% | 48.5% | 2016[80] |
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34% | 13% | 18% | 35% | 2017[81] |
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19% | 7% | 30% | 42% | 2009–2010[82] |
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3% | 24% | 8% | 65% | 2004 |
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19% | 7% | 19% | 55% | 2019 |
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8% | 4% | 21% | 69% | 2001 |
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11% | 15% | 30% | 44% | 2015 |
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29% | 34% | 16% | 21% | 2017 |
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15.6% | 33.8% | 11.2% | 39% | 2021[83] |
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20.8% | 5.9% | 32.1% | 41.2% | 2016[84] |
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24% | 0% | 17% | 59% | 2004 |
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12% | 14% | 21% | 52% | 2004 |
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19% | 19% | 20% | 42% | 2018[85] |
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5% | 22% | 30% | 43% | 2004 |
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8% | 1% | 12% | 78% | 2016[86] |
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4% | 1% | 10% | 84% | 2016[87] |
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26% | 19% | 19% | 36% | 2017 |
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28.4% | 1.2% | 36.3% | 33.7% | 2013 |
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15% | 0.42% | 13% | 68% | 2011[88] |
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15.6% | 2.5% | 30.8% | 50.2% | 2020[89] |
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12% | 0% | 11% | 77% | 2004 |
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14% | 26% | 25% | 34% | 2018[90] |
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18% | 1% | 7% | 74% | 2004 |
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13% | 0% | 26% | 60% | 2001 |
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24% | 14% | 23% | 39% | 2019 |
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29% | 6% | 30% | 34% | 2013 |
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12% | 1% | 9% | 78% | 2001 |
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42% | 2% | 13% | 41% | 2013[91] |
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20.6% | 8.4% | 33.7% | 37.3% | 2019 |
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2% | 6% | 11% | 80% | 2016[92] |
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5% | 14% | 25% | 56% | 2004 |
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16% | 13% | 28% | 43% | 2015[93] |
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13% | 7% | 18% | 62% | 2014 |
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29% | 8% | 23% | 40% | 2017[94] |
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14% | 2% | 34% | 49% | 2020[95] |
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10% | 10% | 14% | 66% | 2021[96] |
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12% | 3% | 5% | 79% | 2004 |
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25.3% | 48.4% | 5.4% | 18.7% | 2018[97] |
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16% | 1% | 21% | 62% | 2004 |
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22% | 1% | 20% | 57% | 2004 |
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19% | 0% | 13% | 68% | 2004 |
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36% | 0% | 26% | 38% | 2011[98] |
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21% | 4% | 23% | 49% | 2018[8] |
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10% | 7% | 11% | 70% | 2016 |
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5% | 2% | 14% | 79% | 2016[99] |
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24.2% | 6.3% | 27.6% | 41.4% | 2018 |
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45.91% | 2.90% | 23.71% | 26.88% | 2017[100] |
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33% | 12% | 32% | 21% | 2015[74] |
Mean ± SD | 13±8% | 8±9% | 24±13% | 55±17% |
Notes: European data is based on the Urban Audit[101]