Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala

Guatemala: Share of population living in the capital city was 15.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
15.8%
World rank
91st
of 170 countries
All-time high
18.0%
in 2005
All-time low
12.0%
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala, 1950–2020

051015201950198520201950: 12 %1955: 13.2 %1960: 14.5 %1965: 15.8 %1970: 16.9 %1975: 17.6 %1980: 17.7 %1985: 17.1 %1990: 16.4 %1995: 17.2 %2000: 17.7 %2005: 18 %2010: 17.9 %2015: 17 %2020: 15.8 %

Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala stood at 15.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala peaked at 18.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 12.0%, in 1950.

That places Guatemala 91st out of 170 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala, 1950 to 2020.
Year % Change
1950 12.0%
1955 13.2% +10.7%
1960 14.5% +9.8%
1965 15.8% +9.0%
1970 16.9% +6.7%
1975 17.6% +4.4%
1980 17.7% +0.3%
1985 17.1% -3.3%
1990 16.4% -4.2%
1995 17.2% +4.8%
2000 17.7% +3.1%
2005 18.0% +1.5%
2010 17.9% -0.3%
2015 17.0% -4.8%
2020 15.8% -7.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 12.6% 12.0% 13.2% 2
1960s 15.2% 14.5% 15.8% 2
1970s 17.3% 16.9% 17.6% 2
1980s 17.4% 17.1% 17.7% 2
1990s 16.8% 16.4% 17.2% 2
2000s 17.8% 17.7% 18.0% 2
2010s 17.5% 17.0% 17.9% 2
2020s 15.8% 15.8% 15.8% 1

Countries ranked near Guatemala

  1. 88 Guyana 16.2% compare
  2. 89 Reunion 16.2% compare
  3. 90 Croatia 15.9% compare
  4. 92 Zambia 15.7% compare
  5. 93 Turkmenistan 15.6% compare
  6. 94 Norway 15.6% compare

See the full ranking of 170 places →

More population data for Guatemala

All data for Guatemala →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala?
Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala was 15.8% 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 population living in the capital city recorded in Guatemala?
The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2005.
What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Guatemala?
The lowest recorded value was 12.0% in 1950.
How does Guatemala rank for share of population living in the capital city?
Guatemala ranks 91st out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Guatemala?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Guatemala 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 population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population living in the capital city in Guatemala. Statizoid, drawing on European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-the-capital-city/guatemala/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in the capital city
Unit
%
Source
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
170 places, 2,330 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed

Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.