Lima Leads Peru in Population with Over 10 Million Residents, Census Shows

Lima Metropolitana continues to be Peru's most populous area, with official results from the 2025 National Censuses showing 10,129,708 residents. This figure means nearly three in ten Peruvians live in the capital, which accounts for 29.7% of the nation's total population.

The country's overall population has grown to 34,157,732 in 2025, an increase of approximately 2.9 million since the 2017 census. This growth positions Peru as the fourth most populous nation in South America, following Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

Beyond Lima, Piura is the next most populated region with 2,115,587 inhabitants, followed by La Libertad (2,056,560) and Arequipa (1,814,396). Several other regions, including Cajamarca, Junín, Lambayeque, Cusco, and Puno, also surpass the one million resident mark.

In contrast, Moquegua and Madre de Dios are the least populated departments, with fewer than 210,000 inhabitants each. The census data also highlights a significant trend of population aging, with individuals aged 60 and above now comprising 14.8% of the national population, up from 11.7% in 2017. The average age of Peruvians has risen from 32 to 34.2 years over the same period. Puno leads in this aging index, with 87.7 older adults for every 100 individuals under 15.