Peru's population is constantly evolving. Historically, the country conducted major censuses in 1993, 2007, and 2017. The very latest official results from the national census (Censos Nacionales 2025), recently published by the INEI, reveal that the total population of Peru now stands at 34,157,732 inhabitants. This confirms its position as the fourth most populous country in South America. The capital, Metropolitan Lima, alone concentrates nearly 29.7% of the national population with 10,129,708 inhabitants, illustrating massive urbanization.
The tables below present the demographic evolution by department and by city, keeping the historical milestones (1993) and recent projections to illustrate this growth.
| Department | Capital | Area (km²) | 1993 (Census) | 2010 (Estimate) | 2020 (Projection) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazonas | Chachapoyas | 39,249 | 336,665 | 500,000 | 550,000 |
| Ancash | Huaraz | 35,864 | 955,023 | 1,180,000 | 1,230,000 |
| Apurímac | Abancay | 20,895 | 381,997 | 424,259 | 429,720 |
| Arequipa | Arequipa | 63,343 | 916,806 | 1,165,000 | 1,382,730 |
| Ayacucho | Ayacucho | 43,814 | 492,507 | 616,176 | 658,000 |
| Cajamarca | Cajamarca | 33,317 | 1,259,808 | 1,417,012 | 1,455,245 |
| Callao | Callao | 146 | 639,392 | 1,129,854 | 1,319,706 |
| Cusco | Cusco | 71,891 | 1,073,763 | 1,357,075 | 1,439,741 |
| Huancavelica | Huancavelica | 22,131 | 398,267 | 454,797 | 367,252 |
| Huánuco | Huánuco | 36,848 | 617,266 | 762,223 | 759,962 |
| Ica | Ica | 21,327 | 616,079 | 893,292 | 1,020,050 |
| Junín | Huancayo | 44,197 | 989,254 | 1,316,894 | 1,374,221 |
| La Libertad | Trujillo | 25,500 | 1,250,736 | 1,888,972 | 2,077,345 |
| Lambayeque | Chiclayo | 14,213 | 1,028,231 | 1,310,785 | 1,419,648 |
| Lima | Lima | 34,802 | 6,345,300 | 10,628,470 | 12,214,119 |
| Loreto | Iquitos | 368,852 | 625,167 | 1,027,559 | 1,087,623 |
| Madre de Dios | Puerto Maldonado | 85,300 | 71,680 | 173,811 | 234,432 |
| Moquegua | Moquegua | 15,733 | 126,522 | 192,740 | 211,157 |
| Pasco | Cerro de Pasco | 25,319 | 243,756 | 271,904 | 252,048 |
| Piura | Piura | 35,892 | 1,402,892 | 2,047,954 | 2,277,711 |
| Puno | Puno | 71,999 | 1,187,964 | 1,237,997 | 1,303,201 |
| San Martín | Moyobamba | 51,253 | 518,669 | 899,648 | 1,003,377 |
| Tacna | Tacna | 16,076 | 244,149 | 370,974 | 430,642 |
| Tumbes | Tumbes | 4,669 | 140,304 | 251,521 | 286,684 |
| Ucayali | Pucallpa | 102,410 | 314,351 | 589,110 | 711,760 |
| National total | 1,285,216 | 22,048,356 | 31,451,763 | 35,049,256 | |
| City | 1993 (Census) | 2000 (Estimate) | 2020 (Projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Lima | 6,321,173 | 7,497,000 | 10,292,408 |
| Arequipa | 619,156 | 762,000 | 1,008,290 |
| Trujillo | 509,312 | 652,000 | 919,899 |
| Chiclayo | 411,536 | 517,000 | 663,200 |
| Piura | 277,964 | 325,000 | 473,025 |
| Iquitos | 274,759 | 367,000 | 430,700 |
| Chimbote | 268,979 | 336,000 | 395,100 |
| Huancayo | 258,209 | 327,000 | 450,900 |
| Cusco | 255,568 | 291,000 | 492,400 |
| Tacna | 174,336 | 209,030 | 293,119 |
| Pucallpa | 172,286 | 204,772 | 211,651 |
| Ica | 161,406 | 219,856 | 325,700 |
| Sullana | 147,361 | 160,789 | 201,302 |
| Juliaca | 142,576 | 172,956 | 316,900 |
| Huánuco | 118,814 | 174,384 | 221,300 |
| Chincha Alta | 110,016 | 141,697 | 219,700 |
| Ayacucho | 105,918 | 130,076 | 180,766 |
| Cajamarca | 92,447 | 129,209 | 226,031 |
| Puno | 91,877 | 109,383 | 140,839 |
| Talara | 82,228 | 92,724 | 59,682 |
Source: INEI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática)
