Demographics of Lima

The demographics of Lima can be reconstructed through the population censuses carried out throughout its history. The government statistics department estimates that a third of Peru's population lives in Lima.

Population by year

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1536 250 —     1614 26,400 +10460.0% 1791 56,600 +114.4% 1812 63,900 +12.9% 1820 64,000 +0.2% 1827 60,000 −6.2% 1839 55,100 −8.2% 1850 80,000 +45.2% 1861 100,000 +25.0% 1877 101,500 +1.5%

Year Pop. ±% 1890 103,900 +2.4% 1896 113,000 +8.8% 1900 103,900 −8.1% 1908 154,617 +48.8% 1920 203,381 +31.5% 1925 260,000 +27.8% 1927 200,000 −23.1% 1931 373,900 +86.9% 1940 533,600 +42.7% 1945 657,800 +23.3%

Year Pop. ±% 1951 835,000 +26.9% 1953 964,000 +15.4% 1961 1,262,100 +30.9% 1969 2,541,300 +101.4% 1981 3,573,227 +40.6% 1993 5,363,270 +50.1% 1997 5,930,318 +10.6% 2000 6,271,430 +5.8% 2007 7,819,436 +24.7%

Ethnic groups

• Mestizos: 69.9%
• Quechua: 16.8%
• European: 7.4%
• Afro-Peruvian: 2.8%
• Aymara: 0.7%
• Asian or other: 2.3%

Evolution of the Lima Metropolitan Area

• Evolution of the Lima Metropolitan Area
• 
  1535
• 
  1750
• 
  1910
• 
  1940
• 
  1970
• 
  1995