Population of Ecuador

As of July 2026, the population of Ecuador is 18.7 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 187 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.00%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 25.8 years in 2016 to 29.6 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 78.6 years and population density is 75.5 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Ecuador peaked in 1965, reaching around 2.93% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 369.29 thousand in 2018 to nearly 186.9 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Ecuador, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 74.7 years in 2006 to 78.6 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 4 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Ecuador

Ecuador has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Quito, Pichincha, with approximately 2.8 million inhabitants. It is followed by Guayaquil, Guayas with 2.7 million and Cuenca, Azuay with 637 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Ecuador: