State IntegrityReceipts, not verdicts

Ancash: population, the economy and jobs

Ancash is a department of Peru, number 10 of 25 by population. INEI projects the population of Ancash at 1,208,895 on 30 June 2026, 3.5% of Peru's 34.66 million; 10th largest of Peru's 25 regions. The projection is based on the 2017 census.

Population (INEI projection)
1,208,895
2026
Gross value added, current prices (2025 estimate)
42.9 billion soles
2025
Gross value added per person (2025 estimate)
35,579 soles
2025
Unemployment rate (EPEN, 2025)
4.3%
2025
Informal employment rate (EPEN, 2025)
78.8%
2025
People in monetary poverty
22.9%
2025
Average real income per person a month (soles)
1,203
2025
Children under five with chronic malnutrition
15.1%
2025

In depth

Is the population of Ancash growing?

The projected population of Ancash grew by 53,444 people, or 4.6%, between 2018 and 2026 (Peru: up 9.8%); 10th slowest growth of Peru's 25 regions.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copy

How fast is the population of Ancash changing?

Between mid-2025 and mid-2026 INEI projects an increase of 3,256 people in Ancash (0.27%), against 0.90% growth for Peru.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copy

How many provinces does Ancash have?

Ancash is divided into 20 provinces and 166 districts. The most populous province, Santa, has a projected 497,471 people in 2026, 41.2% of the department.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copy

What is the largest district in Ancash?

The most populous district in Ancash is Chimbote, with a projected 213,966 people in 2026, followed by Nuevo Chimbote (204,768).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copy

Which parts of Ancash are losing population?

119 of the 166 districts in Ancash that existed in 2018 have a smaller projected population in 2026 than in 2018.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica e Informatica (INEI) · saved copy

How departments are governed in Peru

Regions (24 departments + Constitutional Province of Callao). Regional governor and regional council directly elected for four years. Regional development, health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.

Every tier of government in Peru

Other departments of Peru

Up a level: Peru · government and power in Peru · cities

Sources

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.