South America · Latin America and the Caribbean
Ecuador Demographics
Ecuador is still growing in internationally comparable midyear estimates, while fertility is below the 2.1 replacement benchmark and the urban population is the majority under the national residence projection.
Main values use World Bank WDI series based on UN population sources, Ecuador INEC population projections, and UN WPP-based age-structure values. Source years and population definitions differ by module.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population, midyear estimate | 18,289,896 | 2025 | World Bank WDI, population total |
| Population growth rate | 0.8% | 2025 | World Bank WDI, annual population growth |
| Net migration | -17,219 | 2025 | World Bank WDI, net migration |
| Median age | 30.3 years | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Total fertility rate | 1.806 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank WDI, fertility rate |
| Life expectancy at birth, total | 77.579 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI, life expectancy |
| Life expectancy at birth, men | 74.9 years | 2024 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Life expectancy at birth, women | 80.3 years | 2024 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Urban population | 11,467,010 | 2025 | INEC Ecuador population projections, Revision 2024 |
| Urban share of INEC residence projection | 63.34% | 2025 | Calculated from INEC urban and rural projection counts |
| Population aged 0-14 | 4,371,099 · 23.9% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Population aged 15-64 | 12,346,525 · 67.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Population aged 65+ | 1,572,281 · 8.6% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Male population | 9,117,019 · 49.8% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Female population | 9,172,886 · 50.2% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Sex ratio | 99.4 males per 100 females | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Population density | 73.64 people per sq. km | 2025 | Calculated from World Bank WDI population and land area |
| Land area | 248,360 sq. km | 2023 | World Bank WDI, land area |
Table analysis
- The World Bank midyear series places Ecuador at 18,289,896 people in 2025, while INEC residence projections are used separately for urban and rural counts.
- Fertility is 1.806 births per woman in 2024, below the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
- The 2025 sex distribution is close to balanced: 49.8% male and 50.2% female.
- The older population share remains below 10%, with 8.6% aged 65+ in the UN WPP-based 2025 age structure.
Population Trend
Ecuador Population, 1960-2025
Midyear population estimates from the World Bank WDI series, with 2025 from the World Bank country data page.
Source: World Bank WDI population total. 1960-2024 values are shown in the FRED table view of the WDI series; 2025 is from the World Bank country data page.
Trend analysis
- The series rises from 4,590,891 in 1960 to 18,289,896 in 2025.
- The absolute population gain between 2000 and 2025 is 5,600,690 people.
- Recent annual gains are smaller than several earlier decades: 2024 to 2025 adds about 154,418 people.
- The chart is a midyear estimate series; it is not the same definition as a census count or a national resident-register count.
Population History and Annual Change
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Annual growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4,590,891 | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1965 | 5,303,963 | 154,045 | 2.947% | World Bank WDI |
| 1970 | 6,155,387 | 180,151 | 2.970% | World Bank WDI |
| 1975 | 7,118,251 | 199,678 | 2.845% | World Bank WDI |
| 1980 | 8,165,877 | 217,008 | 2.693% | World Bank WDI |
| 1985 | 9,311,154 | 236,372 | 2.571% | World Bank WDI |
| 1990 | 10,473,673 | 231,821 | 2.238% | World Bank WDI |
| 1995 | 11,590,514 | 218,317 | 1.902% | World Bank WDI |
| 2000 | 12,689,206 | 218,411 | 1.736% | World Bank WDI |
| 2005 | 13,846,163 | 237,462 | 1.730% | World Bank WDI |
| 2010 | 15,076,695 | 250,741 | 1.677% | World Bank WDI |
| 2015 | 16,266,225 | 231,101 | 1.431% | World Bank WDI |
| 2020 | 17,546,065 | 206,044 | 1.181% | World Bank WDI |
| 2021 | 17,682,454 | 136,389 | 0.774% | World Bank WDI |
| 2022 | 17,823,897 | 141,443 | 0.797% | World Bank WDI |
| 2023 | 17,980,083 | 156,186 | 0.872% | World Bank WDI |
| 2024 | 18,135,478 | 155,395 | 0.861% | World Bank WDI |
| 2025 | 18,289,896 | 154,418 | 0.8% | World Bank WDI |
Table analysis
- The population more than doubled between 1980 and 2025.
- Annual growth eased from about 2.97% in 1970 to 0.8% in 2025.
- Growth remains positive in the latest WDI value, but the pace is much lower than in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Yearly change is calculated from adjacent listed WDI rows; the table does not estimate years without values shown.
Population Growth Rate
Annual Population Growth Rate
Selected years from the World Bank WDI annual growth series.
Source: World Bank WDI population growth. 2025 value is rounded as displayed on the World Bank country data page.
Chart analysis
- The selected series peaks near 3.0% in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Growth drops below 1.0% in 2021 and stays below 1.0% through 2025 in the listed values.
- The latest value should be read as a rounded WDI country-page value, not a national projection from INEC.
Age Structure
Broad Age Structure, 2025
Population grouped into youth, working ages, and older ages.
Source: UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset for Ecuador, 2025.
Chart analysis
- The working-age group is the largest broad group at 12,346,525 people.
- The 0-14 group has 4,371,099 people, or 23.9% of the age-structure dataset.
- The 65+ group has 1,572,281 people, below one-tenth of the total.
Five-Year Age Distribution
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 1,352,402 | 7.4% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 5-9 | 1,455,536 | 8.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 10-14 | 1,563,161 | 8.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 15-19 | 1,587,415 | 8.7% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 20-24 | 1,552,037 | 8.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 25-29 | 1,547,909 | 8.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 30-34 | 1,486,275 | 8.1% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 35-39 | 1,368,308 | 7.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 40-44 | 1,253,706 | 6.9% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 45-49 | 1,095,573 | 6.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 50-54 | 955,976 | 5.2% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 55-59 | 819,452 | 4.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 60-64 | 679,874 | 3.7% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 65-69 | 547,164 | 3.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 70-74 | 426,544 | 2.3% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 75-79 | 298,683 | 1.6% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 80-84 | 178,321 | 1.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 85-89 | 84,160 | 0.5% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 90-94 | 29,889 | 0.2% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 95-99 | 6,675 | 0.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 100+ | 845 | 0.0% | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
Table analysis
- The largest listed five-year group is 15-19 at 1,587,415 people.
- The three under-15 groups sum to 4,371,099.
- The 65+ groups sum to 1,572,281, concentrated mainly in ages 65-74.
- The table uses five-year total age groups only; it does not split those age groups by sex.
Sex Distribution and Age-Sex Data Coverage
The available source extract supports total male and female population for 2025. A full five-year age-by-sex table was not available in the visible dataset used here, so a native population pyramid is not produced.
| Group | Male | Female | Total | Male share | Female share | Sex ratio | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | 9,117,019 | 9,172,886 | 18,289,905 | 49.8% | 50.2% | 99.4 | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 0-14 | Data not available | Data not available | 4,371,099 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 15-64 | Data not available | Data not available | 12,346,525 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| 65+ | Data not available | Data not available | 1,572,281 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | 2025 | UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
Age-sex analysis
- Total female population exceeds total male population by 55,867.
- The all-age sex ratio is 99.4 males per 100 females.
- Age-specific male and female counts are not shown because the current visible extract does not provide them.
- No population pyramid is produced from broad age groups or all-age sex totals.
Fertility Pattern
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate compared with the 2.1 births-per-woman benchmark.
Source: World Bank WDI fertility rate, 2024. Replacement level is a broad benchmark, not a country-specific threshold.
Chart analysis
- Ecuador’s 2024 total fertility rate is 1.806 births per woman.
- The value is 0.294 below the 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
- The benchmark is used for comparison only; replacement fertility varies with mortality and migration conditions.
Fertility Rate Trend
| Year | Fertility rate | Births | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.721 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1965 | 6.564 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1970 | 6.138 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1975 | 5.426 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1980 | 4.730 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1985 | 4.145 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1990 | 3.680 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1995 | 3.381 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2000 | 3.102 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2005 | 2.800 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2010 | 2.615 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2015 | 2.209 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2020 | 1.967 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2021 | 1.909 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2022 | 1.861 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2023 | 1.823 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2024 | 1.806 | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
Table analysis
- The fertility rate falls from 6.721 in 1960 to 1.806 in 2024.
- The listed WDI series moves below 2.1 after the 2017-2018 period and remains below it through 2024.
- Birth counts are not shown because the selected WDI fertility table provides rates, not annual registered births.
Life Expectancy
Life Expectancy by Sex, 2024
Life expectancy at birth for total population, men, and women.
Source: World Bank WDI for total life expectancy; UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset for sex-specific rounded values.
Chart analysis
- Total life expectancy is 77.579 years in the WDI 2024 series.
- The rounded sex-specific values show women at 80.3 years and men at 74.9 years.
- The female-male gap in the rounded values is 5.4 years.
Life Expectancy Trend
| Year | Total | Male | Female | Gap | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 53.396 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1970 | 58.850 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1980 | 63.326 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 1990 | 68.445 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2000 | 72.090 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2010 | 75.188 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2019 | 77.286 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2020 | 72.004 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2021 | 72.746 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2022 | 76.577 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2023 | 77.392 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | World Bank WDI |
| 2024 | 77.579 | 74.9 | 80.3 | 5.4 | World Bank WDI and UN WPP visualization dataset |
Table analysis
- Total life expectancy rises from 53.396 years in 1960 to 77.579 years in 2024.
- The 2020 and 2021 values are visibly lower than the 2019 value in the WDI series.
- Sex-specific values are shown only for 2024 because the visible source extract used for this page does not provide a full sex-specific historical table.
Urban and Rural Population
Urban and Rural Residence, 2025
National residence projection from Ecuador INEC.
Source: Ecuador INEC Estimaciones y Proyecciones de Población, Revision 2024. Counts refer to population at June 30.
Chart analysis
- INEC projects 11,467,010 urban residents and 6,636,650 rural residents in 2025.
- The calculated urban share from those two counts is 63.34%.
- This module uses the INEC residence definition and should not be merged with the World Bank midyear total without a source note.
Residence Projection Table
| Year | Urban population | Rural population | Calculated urban share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 9,328,267 | 5,555,394 | 62.67% | INEC Revision 2024 |
| 2022 | 11,198,396 | 6,516,905 | 63.21% | INEC Revision 2024 |
| 2025 | 11,467,010 | 6,636,650 | 63.34% | INEC Revision 2024 |
| 2030 | 11,936,069 | 6,879,428 | 63.44% | INEC Revision 2024 projection |
| 2035 | 12,376,202 | 7,139,101 | 63.42% | INEC Revision 2024 projection |
Table analysis
- Urban count rises from 9,328,267 in 2010 to 12,376,202 in 2035 in the INEC table.
- Rural count also rises in the same projection table, from 5,555,394 to 7,139,101.
- The calculated urban share stays close to 63% across the listed INEC residence years.
Migration Balance
Net Migration, 2025
Single-year net migration value from the World Bank country data page.
Source: World Bank WDI country data page, 2025. Immigration and emigration components are not supplied in the same visible source extract.
Chart analysis
- The listed value is -17,219, indicating negative net migration in the WDI country data page for 2025.
- This is a net balance only; it is not a count of immigrants or emigrants.
| Year | Immigration | Emigration | Net migration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Data not available | Data not available | -17,219 | World Bank WDI country data page |
Table analysis
- The migration table is intentionally narrow because only a net migration value was available in the selected WDI source view.
- Separate immigration and emigration values are marked as Data not available rather than estimated.
Population Projection Scenario
INEC Population Projection
Official projection values from Ecuador INEC Revision 2024.
Source: INEC Ecuador Estimaciones y Proyecciones de Población, Revision 2024. Projection values are scenario-based estimates, not guaranteed predictions.
Projection analysis
- The INEC residence-count sum gives 18,103,660 for 2025.
- The same INEC table gives 18,815,497 for 2030 and 19,515,303 for 2035 from urban plus rural counts.
- The national projection value shown for 2050 is 21,141,923.
- INEC projections use population at June 30; WDI population values are midyear de facto estimates and may not match exactly.
| Year | Projected population | Urban population | Rural population | Scenario | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18,103,660 | 11,467,010 | 6,636,650 | INEC Revision 2024 residence projection | INEC |
| 2030 | 18,815,497 | 11,936,069 | 6,879,428 | INEC Revision 2024 residence projection | INEC |
| 2035 | 19,515,303 | 12,376,202 | 7,139,101 | INEC Revision 2024 residence projection | INEC |
| 2050 | 21,141,923 | Data not available | Data not available | INEC Revision 2024 national projection | INEC |
Projection analysis
- The projection table stays separate from the historical WDI population table.
- Urban and rural splits are available in the visible INEC extract through 2035, while the visible national projection extends to 2050.
- The 2050 row does not backfill residence values because the current visible extract does not provide them.
Regional Comparison
The comparison uses countries commonly discussed alongside Ecuador because of population size, age structure, fertility, migration, or South American context. Values use the same UN WPP-based visualization source and 2025 year where available.
| Country | Population | Median age | Youth share | Aged 65+ share | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 18,289,905 | 30.3 | 23.9% | 8.6% | 2025 · UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Peru | 34,576,675 | 31.2 | 23.6% | 9.5% | 2025 · UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Colombia | 53,425,646 | 33.5 | 20.0% | 10.2% | 2025 · UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Argentina | 45,851,387 | 33.9 | 21.0% | 12.6% | 2025 · UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
| Brazil | 212,812,415 | 35.8 | 19.4% | 11.5% | 2025 · UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset |
Comparison analysis
- Ecuador is smaller than the four comparison countries in this source table.
- Ecuador’s median age, 30.3 years, is lower than Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil in the listed values.
- Ecuador’s 65+ share, 8.6%, is also lower than each comparison country shown.
- The comparison values use the same source family and year, avoiding mixed national-source definitions.
Demographic Overview
The WDI series shows continued growth, from 18.14 million in 2024 to 18.29 million in 2025.
The 2024 fertility rate is below 2.1, so future growth depends on age structure, longevity, and migration as well as births.
The 2025 age structure is centered on working ages, with 67.5% aged 15-64 and 8.6% aged 65+.
The all-age sex ratio is 99.4 males per 100 females; detailed age-by-sex counts were not available in the visible extract.
INEC projects 11.47 million urban residents in 2025, equal to 63.34% of the INEC urban-plus-rural total.
World Bank, INEC, and UN WPP-based values use different population definitions and release years; same-definition tables are kept separate.
Data Sources and Methodology
Population, growth, fertility, life expectancy, migration, urban residence, and age-structure values come from different statistical products. Values are not adjusted to force a single total across all modules.
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank World Development Indicators | 1960-2025 depending on indicator | Population history, annual growth, fertility rate, total life expectancy, net migration, land area, and calculated density. |
| FRED table views of World Bank WDI series | Tables accessed for WDI series through 2024 | Visible long-series rows for population, population growth, fertility, and life expectancy tables. |
| INEC Ecuador, Estimaciones y Proyecciones de Población, Revision 2024 | Revision 2024; national 1950-2050, residence 2010-2035 | Urban and rural residence counts, official projection table, and INEC projection notes. |
| UN DESA World Population Prospects 2024 Online Edition | 2024 revision | Underlying population estimates and projection methodology referenced by WDI and UN WPP-based visualization values. |
| UN WPP 2024 visualization dataset | 2025 age structure and 2024 life expectancy by sex | Median age, broad age groups, five-year age distribution, sex totals, sex ratio, and regional comparison rows. |
Method note
- World Bank WDI population values are de facto midyear estimates.
- INEC projection values refer to Ecuador’s official estimates and projections and note population at June 30.
- Age structure and sex distribution are not used to create a full population pyramid because the visible extract lacks five-year age-by-sex counts.
- Rounded percentages may not reproduce totals exactly when multiplied.
Indicator Definitions
| Indicator | Definition | Unit | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Number of residents in the source population definition for the given year. | People | WDI uses de facto midyear estimates; INEC uses official national projection tables. |
| Annual growth | Annual percentage change in midyear population in the WDI series. | Percent | World Bank WDI annual growth values. |
| Fertility rate | Births per woman under the current age-specific fertility rates of the period. | Births per woman | World Bank WDI based on UN population sources and other official inputs. |
| Life expectancy at birth | Years a newborn would live if period mortality rates remained constant. | Years | World Bank WDI total series; sex-specific rounded values from UN WPP-based visualization data. |
| Urban population | Population classified as urban under the source residence definition. | People or percent | INEC residence projection values; definitions can differ from UN urbanization series. |
| Net migration | Net balance of migration as shown by the source; it does not equal immigration or emigration alone. | People | World Bank WDI country data page value for 2025. |
| Sex ratio | Number of males per 100 females. | Males per 100 females | Calculated or reported from all-age male and female population counts in the UN WPP-based visualization dataset. |
| Projection | Population estimate for a future year based on source assumptions. | People | INEC Revision 2024 projection values are kept separate from observed or estimated historical WDI rows. |
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Ecuador demographic values may differ across sources because resident population, de facto midyear estimates, census counts, and projections are not identical measures. Projection rows are scenario-based estimates, not observed data. Urban values depend on residence definitions. Migration values may be net balances without separate immigration and emigration components. Fertility is compared with a broad 2.1 benchmark, while the actual replacement threshold can vary. Age-sex analysis is limited here because five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the visible extract; all-age male and female counts should not be used to infer detailed age-specific sex ratios.
Data Questions
Why do the World Bank and INEC population values not match exactly?
They use different statistical products and definitions. The World Bank WDI value is an internationally comparable midyear estimate, while INEC values come from Ecuador’s official estimates and projection system.
Is Ecuador’s fertility rate below replacement level?
Yes. The World Bank WDI fertility rate is 1.806 births per woman in 2024, below the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark.
Does this page include a population pyramid?
No. A population pyramid requires detailed age-by-sex counts. The visible source extract used here provides five-year age totals and all-age sex totals, but not five-year male and female counts.
How should the 2050 projection be read?
The 2050 INEC value is a projection based on the Revision 2024 assumptions. It is not an observed population count.