Iquitos: population and official figures
In depth
- Poverty and living standards in Iquitos: INEI's 2018 poverty map puts the monetary poverty rate of Maynas province, which contains Iquitos, in a range of 20.4% to 23.9% (95% confidence interval; the midpoint is 22.2%), 6th highest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site on that midpoint.
- Government budget and revenue in Iquitos: In 2025 the provincial municipality of Maynas, which governs Iquitos and the surrounding province, had a modified budget (PIM) of S/ 155.90 million, up from an opening budget (PIA) of S/ 131.73 million; this ranks 12th smallest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site and, nationally, 22nd largest of 196 provincial municipal budgets, according to the MEF.
What is the population of Iquitos?
Maynas province, whose capital is Iquitos, in Loreto department, had a projected 572,808 residents on 30 June 2026 according to INEI, the national statistics office, 7th largest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site; the projection, based on the 2017 census, put it at 537,282 in 2018. INEI's figures cover the whole province, not only the built-up city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow fast is Iquitos growing?
Between 2018 and 2026 the projected population of Maynas province, which contains Iquitos, changed by +6.6%, an addition of 35,526 people, ranking 4th lowest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site for growth; Peru as a whole changed by +9.8% over the same period.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow many districts are in Maynas province?
Maynas province is divided into 11 districts. The most populous, San Juan Bautista, had a projected 170,346 residents in 2026, 29.7% of the province.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyHow many people live in the central district of Iquitos?
The capital district, Iquitos, had a projected 165,605 residents in 2026, 28.9% of Maynas province, ranking 7th lowest of 25 Peruvian cities on this site for share; in 2018 it had 162,450.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyIs the population of Iquitos growing?
In the year to mid-2026 the projected population of Maynas province changed by +0.55%, from 569,676 to 572,808; Peru changed by +0.90%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) · saved copyThe UN marks this figure as an estimate of lower reliability.
Who runs Iquitos?
In Peru, cities and towns are run by provincial municipalities: Mayor and councillors (regidores) directly elected for four years. Co-ordinate districts, land-use planning, transport; Lima has regional-style powers.
Cities of a similar size in Peru
- Lima 10,570,094
- Arequipa 1,319,077
- Trujillo 1,244,099
- Piura 988,466
- Chiclayo 896,467
- Huancayo 630,005
- Cuzco 554,027
- Ica 507,840
- Pucallpa 501,037
- Chimbote 497,471
- Cajamarca 397,960
- Tacna 381,995
- Juliaca 362,824
- Sullana 358,559
- Ayacucho 331,426
- Huánuco 324,500
Up a level: all cities in Peru · Peru · government and power
Sources
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2024, activities and projects: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81563427fdfd…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025, activities and projects: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d2996a391f8…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025: national government, regional governments and local governments (totals by level of government), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b44103ba441a…)
- Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF): Consulta Amigable, consulta de ejecución del gasto, 2025, investment projects only: local governments by budget unit (export of 28 October 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7e52d79db9c3…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Perú: población total proyectada al 30 de junio de cada año, según departamento, provincia y distrito, 2018-2026 (Cuadro 01), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9436df29b883…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Mapa de Pobreza Provincial y Distrital 2013, anexo estadístico (Anexo 2: population and total poverty 95% confidence interval by province and district), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb127c78a0f5…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI): Mapa de Pobreza Provincial y Distrital 2018, anexo estadístico (Anexo 2: population, total monetary poverty 95% confidence interval and rank by district; Anexo 4: the same by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fcc465d75abe…)
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