Countries in South America Ranked by Population density (2024)
Population density: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Ecuador ranks #1 with 73 people per km². That is 1.5 times Colombia in second place (47.7 people per km²). The top five are Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, RB, Peru and Chile. The median across all 12 is 22.4 people per km²; Guyana is last at 3.94 people per km². Ecuador's figure has risen 43% since 2000 (51.1 people per km² to 73 people per km² in 2024).
- #1
- Ecuador · 73 people per km²
- Median
- 22.4 people per km²
- Coverage
- 12 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
About the top 10
#1 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #1 on this list with 73 people per km².
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#2 Colombia
Colombia ranks #2 on this list with 47.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#3 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #3 on this list with 32.2 people per km².
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#4 Peru
Peru ranks #4 on this list with 26.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#5 Chile
Chile ranks #5 on this list with 26.6 people per km².
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#6 Brazil
Brazil ranks #6 on this list with 25.4 people per km².
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#7 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #7 on this list with 19.4 people per km².
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
#8 Paraguay
Paraguay ranks #8 on this list with 17.5 people per km².
- Capital
- Asunción
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.28 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in official exchange rate · #11 in income share of richest 10% · #14 in gini index.
#9 Argentina
Argentina ranks #9 on this list with 16.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#10 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #10 on this list with 11.4 people per km².
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Population density: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator EN.POP.DNST. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Population density (people per sq. km of land area): FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); World Bank population estimates, World Bank (WB), publisher: World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.