Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Peru
Peru: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 41.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Peru, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Peru recorded 41.9% for share of urban population who live in the largest city 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 Peru peaked at 42.2% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 36.2%, in 1950.
Peru ranks 40th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Peru, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 36.2% | — |
| 1955 | 36.7% | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 37.2% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 37.7% | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 39.6% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 40.5% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 40.3% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 39.9% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 39.7% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 39.5% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 40.5% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 41.5% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 42.2% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 41.9% | -0.8% |
Peru compared with similar countries
- Peru's 41.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25.9%, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Peru's 41.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 30.3%, 1.4× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36.4% | 36.2% | 36.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 37.5% | 37.2% | 37.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 39.2% | 38.8% | 39.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 40.4% | 40.3% | 40.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 39.8% | 39.7% | 39.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 40.0% | 39.5% | 40.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 41.9% | 41.5% | 42.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 41.9% | 41.9% | 41.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Peru
More population data for Peru
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3151 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4349 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0396 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4349 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.66 million people (2100)
- Population density 29.82 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6906 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.9219 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Peru?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Peru was 41.9% 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 Peru?
- The highest recorded value was 42.2% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Peru?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.2% in 1950.
- How does Peru rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Peru ranks 40th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Peru?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Peru 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.