Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador
Ecuador: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 22.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador is 22.3%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador peaked at 22.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 1950.
Ecuador ranks 106th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.4% | — |
| 1955 | 17.8% | +8.4% |
| 1960 | 19.2% | +7.8% |
| 1965 | 19.8% | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 19.8% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 20.0% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 21.2% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 21.9% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 22.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 22.5% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 22.7% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 22.6% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 22.2% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 22.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 22.3% | +0.9% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 22.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.9%, 86% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 22.3% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 30.3%, 74% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17.1% | 16.4% | 17.8% | 2 |
| 1960s | 19.5% | 19.2% | 19.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 19.9% | 19.8% | 20.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 21.5% | 21.2% | 21.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 22.3% | 22.1% | 22.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.7% | 22.6% | 22.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 22.2% | 22.1% | 22.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More population data for Ecuador
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4058 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5775 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5775 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 792,284 people (2100)
- Population density 76.87 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6473 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.9392 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Ecuador was 22.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 22.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 1950.
- How does Ecuador rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Ecuador ranks 106th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ecuador data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.