Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 171.76 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population density in Guatemala, 1961–2024
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 Guatemala is 171.76 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Guatemala peaked at 171.76 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39.06 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Guatemala 70th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 39.06 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 40.24 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 41.44 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 42.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 43.91 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 45.17 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 46.46 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 47.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 49.06 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 50.36 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 51.68 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 53.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 54.42 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 55.82 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 57.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 58.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 59.74 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 61.23 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 62.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 64.39 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 66.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 67.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 69.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 71.21 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 73.25 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 75.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 77.42 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 79.62 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 81.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 84.22 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 86.53 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 88.86 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 91.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 93.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 96.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 98.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 101.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 103.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 106.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 109.16 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 111.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 114.29 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 116.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 119.52 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 122.13 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 124.74 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 127.4 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 130.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 132.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 135.31 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 138.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 140.81 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 143.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 146.34 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 149.05 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 151.82 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 154.6 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 157.2 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 159.61 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 161.98 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 164.23 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 166.55 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 169.14 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 171.76 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 171.76 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 85.13 people per sq. km of land area, 2.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 171.76 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 103.62 people per sq. km of land area, 1.7× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 43.97 people per sq. km of land area | 39.06 people per sq. km of land area | 49.06 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 56.47 people per sq. km of land area | 50.36 people per sq. km of land area | 62.78 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 72.59 people per sq. km of land area | 64.39 people per sq. km of land area | 81.89 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 95.15 people per sq. km of land area | 84.22 people per sq. km of land area | 106.6 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 120.85 people per sq. km of land area | 109.16 people per sq. km of land area | 132.66 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 147.64 people per sq. km of land area | 135.31 people per sq. km of land area | 159.61 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 166.73 people per sq. km of land area | 161.98 people per sq. km of land area | 171.76 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 67 Italy 199.35 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 68 Saint Kitts and Nevis 179.47 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 69 Andorra 175.08 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 71 Kiribati 165.87 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 72 Micronesia (country) 161.43 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 73 United Arab Emirates 154.69 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Guatemala
- Population in the largest city 30.7% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 29.68 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1728 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 3.23 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.22 % 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 28.88 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.23 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0.45 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 65.87 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Guatemala?
- Population density in Guatemala was 171.76 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 171.76 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.06 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Guatemala rank for population density?
- Guatemala ranks 70th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.