Population of Ecuador
As of August 2026, the population of Ecuador is 18.5 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 155 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.85%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 25.7 years in 2016 to 29.7 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 77.9 years and population density is 74.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.
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Population Growth
The population growth rate of Ecuador peaked in 1968, reaching around 2.99% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.84% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 314.98 thousand in 2018 to nearly 155.02 thousand in 2026.
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Life Expectancy
In Ecuador, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 74 years in 2006 to 77.9 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 4 years over the past 2 decades.
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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:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quito, Pichincha | 2,781,641 |
| 2 | Guayaquil, Guayas | 2,723,665 |
| 3 | Cuenca, Azuay | 636,996 |
| 4 | Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | 458,580 |
| 5 | Ambato, Tungurahua Province | 387,309 |
| 6 | Portoviejo, Manabí | 321,800 |
| 7 | Eloy Alfaro, Guayas | 315,724 |
| 8 | Machala, El Oro | 289,141 |
| 9 | Loja | 274,112 |
| 10 | Manta, Manabí | 264,281 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Riobamba, Chimborazo Province | 264,048 |
| 12 | Ibarra, Imbabura | 221,149 |
| 13 | Esmeraldas | 218,727 |
| 14 | Quevedo, Los Ríos | 213,842 |
| 15 | Latacunga, Cotopaxi | 205,624 |
| 16 | Daule, Guayas | 173,684 |
| 17 | Milagro, Guayas | 133,508 |
| 18 | Tulcán, Carchi | 86,498 |
| 19 | Babahoyo, Los Ríos | 76,279 |
| 20 | La Libertad, Guayas | 75,881 |