Guayaquil: population and official figures
What is the population of Guayaquil?
The canton of Guayaquil, which contains Guayaquil, had 2,908,589 residents in 2022, the year of the latest census, according to INEC, the national statistics office; this is the largest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site. It was 2,417,957 in 2010. INEC's figures cover the whole canton, not only the built-up city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyHow fast is Guayaquil growing?
Between 2010 and 2022 the population of Guayaquil canton changed by +20.3%, from 2,417,957 to 2,908,589, 8th lowest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site for growth; Ecuador as a whole changed by +19.0%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyWhat will the population of Guayaquil be in 2035?
INEC's 2024 revision projects the population of Guayaquil canton at 2,982,756 in 2025 and 3,218,450 in 2035, a change of +10.7% from 2022 and 8th lowest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site for projected growth; the projection for Ecuador over the same years is +10.2%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyHow many men and women live in Guayaquil?
In 2022 Guayaquil canton had 1,440,089 women and 1,468,500 men, 102.0 men for every 100 women, the highest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site on that ratio; Ecuador had 98.7.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyHow many older people live in Guayaquil?
People aged 65 or over were 7.1% of the population of Guayaquil canton in 2022 (205,236), 7th lowest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site for that share, against 7.8% for Ecuador; in 2010 the share was 5.0%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyHow urban is Guayaquil?
INEC classifies 96.5% of the residents of Guayaquil canton as urban in 2022 (2,807,076 urban and 101,513 rural), 3rd highest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site for urban share; the figure was 96.9% in 2010 and 63.2% for Ecuador in 2022.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyWhat is the average age in Guayaquil?
The median age in Guayaquil canton was 28 years in 2022 (INEC estimate), joint 10th highest of 20 Ecuadorian cities on this site on that measure; it was 25 in 2010. There were 48.8 dependants (under 15 or 65 and over) for every 100 people aged 15 to 64.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copyWho runs Guayaquil?
In Ecuador, cities and towns are run by cantons / municipalities: Mayor (alcalde) and council directly elected. Urban planning, water, sanitation, waste, local transport.
How local power works in Ecuador
Cities of a similar size in Ecuador
- Quito 2,804,269
- Cuenca 612,574
- Santo Domingo de los Colorados 458,208
- Ambato 377,384
- Portoviejo 336,546
- Durán 316,551
- Machala 316,124
- Manta 281,123
- Riobamba 271,039
- Loja 254,463
- Esmeraldas 229,442
Up a level: all cities in Ecuador · Ecuador · government and power
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): Estimaciones y proyecciones de población, revisión 2024 (basadas en el Censo 2022): cantonal tables 3.3, 3.6 and 3.7, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f200aff5c31a…)
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