Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Ecuador
Ecuador: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 72.4 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
72.4 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
134th
of 216 countries
All-time high
72.4 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
69.82 people per sq. km of land area
in 2019
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Ecuador, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in Ecuador is 72.4 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.7% over five years.
Over the whole period, population density in Ecuador peaked at 72.4 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 69.82 people per sq. km of land area, in 2019.
That places Ecuador 134th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 17.06 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 17.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 18.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1964 | 18.6 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 19.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 19.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 20.33 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 20.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 21.58 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 22.23 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 22.9 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 23.58 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 24.28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 24.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 25.71 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 26.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 27.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 27.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 28.71 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 29.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 30.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 31.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 31.93 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 32.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 33.63 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 34.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 35.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 36.16 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 37.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 38.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 39.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 40.29 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 41.08 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 41.87 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 42.66 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 43.46 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 49.33 people per sq. km of land area | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 50.21 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 51.09 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 51.98 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 52.9 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 53.84 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 54.79 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 55.75 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 56.72 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 57.69 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 58.69 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 59.7 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 60.7 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 61.71 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 62.7 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 63.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 64.56 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 65.49 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 66.46 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 67.48 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 68.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 69.82 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 70.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 71.2 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 71.77 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 72.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 72.4 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 86.73 people per sq. km of land area, 83% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 72.4 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 103.08 people per sq. km of land area, 70% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19.23 people per sq. km of land area | 17.06 people per sq. km of land area | 21.58 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 25.4 people per sq. km of land area | 22.23 people per sq. km of land area | 28.71 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.22 people per sq. km of land area | 29.5 people per sq. km of land area | 37 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.49 people per sq. km of land area | 37.83 people per sq. km of land area | 50.21 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.32 people per sq. km of land area | 51.09 people per sq. km of land area | 59.7 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.12 people per sq. km of land area | 60.7 people per sq. km of land area | 69.82 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.5 people per sq. km of land area | 70.65 people per sq. km of land area | 72.4 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
- 131 Tajikistan 74.86 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 132 Yemen 74.61 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 133 North Macedonia 72.47 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 135 Eswatini 71.54 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 136 Croatia 68.97 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 137 Mexico 66.74 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Ecuador
- Population in the largest city 28.0% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 18.61 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2877 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 5.26 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 20.53 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.24 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 1.26 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 118.9 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Ecuador?
- Population density in Ecuador was 72.4 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 72.4 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.82 people per sq. km of land area in 2019.
- How does Ecuador rank for population density?
- Ecuador ranks 134th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Where does this Ecuador data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.