Demographics
Density. Data generated by INEC (Ecuadorian Institute of Statistics and Censuses) indicate that, as of the latest census in 2022, 16,938,986 people live in Ecuador. Population density is around 60 inhabitants/km², making it the most densely populated country in South America, with a density similar to that of Ireland, Croatia or Mexico. But this overall density does not reflect the density of all the country's regions. in fact, 16 million inhabitants are concentrated in less than half the country, with a population density of 125 inhabitants/km². By contrast, the East (Amazon region), which accounts for over 50% of the country's surface area, is home to just one million inhabitants, giving a very low population density of 7.81 inhabitants/km². The Galapagos Islands, meanwhile, have a population of 28,583.
Life expectancy in Ecuador is 78 years, 76 for men and 80 for women, in 2023, making it the 76th oldest country in the world. Ecuador was the fourth longest-living country in Latin America. For example, in the Vilcabamba valley in the province of Loja, just 30 km from the city of Loja, a large number of centenarians have been counted, earning Vilcabamba the nickname of "City of Centenarians".
Ecuador'sgrowth rate fell to 1.3% in 2022, well below that of the previous 5 years, which was mainly stimulated by migration, particularly that of refugees. Growth is strongest in the Amazon regions and slowest in the southern Andes.
Distribution
In Ecuador, 63% of the population lives in urban areas and 37% in rural areas. Given the country's high population density and small land area, urban concentration is high, with cities and rural towns in close proximity to each other (particularly in the Sierra). Ecuador's rural population has the third highest quality of life in Latin America after Uruguay and Cuba, and it is clear that Ecuador's population is mainly based in the country's urban areas, with 44% of the urban population spread across the country's 15 largest cities. The conurbations of Guayaquil (2.7 million inhabitants) and Quito (2.7 million) alone account for 60% of the country's urban population. In recent years, however, improved living conditions in rural areas have prompted many city dwellers to settle outside the cities, a trend that will only increase with the fear of possible future pandemics. Cuenca is the third-largest city in terms of population and extension, with almost 600,000 inhabitants, making it the most important city in the southern region of Ecuador. In recent years, the city has attracted a large number of North American retirees, attracted by the ideal living conditions for this phase of life. Today, they account for some 20,000 of Cuenca's permanent residents.
Demographic projection
Ecuador's demographic behavior is in line with that of the region as a whole, where a slow but steady process of population ageing is to be expected. Thus, although Ecuador still has a relatively young average age, it is increasing every year, with no sign of change expected. For INEC, the year 2030 will be a key moment in the country's demographic transition, since by then Ecuador will have achieved a demographic bonus, i.e., if calculations are confirmed, of the 20 million Ecuadorians who will exist by then, the majority will be in the adult age bracket (over 18), but in parallel, the fertility rate is expected to settle at around 2 children per woman (similar to the current fertility rate in France or the Netherlands), which means that without unforeseen contextual variables, Ecuador will begin a genuine ageing process, unable to guarantee the renewal of generations, and its demographic growth will stagnate. With all this in mind, current projections for 2050 point to a population of 23.4 million, 70% of whom will be over 18. Similarly, life expectancy for Ecuadorians is expected to reach 80.55 years by 2050, higher for women, who will live an average of 83.5 years, and men 77.6 years. The urban population is expected to exceed 70% of the total population, which will require a major effort in the metropolitan districts of Quito and Guayaquil, and particularly in medium-sized cities such as Cuenca, Loja, Ambato, Machala, Ibarra, Manta, Portoviejo and Riobamba. Existing residential areas, such as the Chillos Valley to the east of Quito, or Cumbayá, Tumbaco, Puembo, Nayón and Sangolquí, will also see a sharp increase in population. This will probably also be the case for Samborondón and Durán, two fast-growing towns on the outskirts of Guayaquil.
The mestizos
The so-called mestizos in Ecuador are descendants of Amerindians and Europeans. They represent around 65% of the country's total population. Among the mestizos, there are three groups: Montubio, Coaiquer and Chalo. The Montubio are, for the most part, farmers and breeders of horses and cows. They live in the mountains and along the Costa's rivers. They grow bananas, coffee and cocoa for export, and weave straw hats (the famous panama). You can recognize them by their attire: hat, rubber boots and machete. The Coaiquer are originally from the coastal province of Esmeraldas, but many have emigrated, notably to Colombia. The Chalo (a crossbreeding of indigenous and Spanish populations), on the other hand, are found almost exclusively on the coast.
The natives
Indigenous people account for around 1/4 of the country's population. These are people of Amerindian origin, descended from the inhabitants present before Spain conquered the country in the 16th century. Estimates of this population in Ecuador vary widely. In 2011, INEC estimated that this population represented 6.8% of the country's population (or 830,418 people), while the UN put the figure at 43% in 2004 (4,100,000 people). The low figure obtained by INEC is explained by the fact that the census is based on the self-definition method: only those people who "have accepted to be indigenous despite the multiple social complications of being part of this population" are counted. The predominant indigenous movement estimates the country's indigenous population at 40% (in line with the United Nations estimate). INEC's estimates, based as they are on responses to questionnaires published exclusively in Spanish, are clearly unreliable, and you'll find during your trip that the indigenous population is still the most represented in the country.
The different indigenous nationalities. According to COPENDE (Council for the Development of the Nationalities and Peoples of Ecuador), there are 13 recognized indigenous nationalities. They are distributed according to region. On the Pacific coast (Costa): Awa, Chachi, Epera and Tsa'chila. In the Amazon region (Oriente): A'i Cofán, Secoya, Siona, Waorani (Huaorani), Zápara, Shiwiar, Achuar and Shuar. The Quichua (Quechua or Kichwa) nationality comprises 13 peoples. In the Andean region (Sierra): Kichwa Karambi, Kichwa Natabuela, Kichwa Otavalo, Kichwa Kayambi, Kichwa Kitu kara, Kichwa Panzaleo, Kichwa Chibuleo, Kichwa Salasaka, Kichwa Waranka, Kichwa Puruhá, Kichwa Kañari and Kichwa Saraguro. In the Amazon region (Oriente): Kichwa de l'Amazonie. A 14th people are currently in the process of researching and reconstituting their culture and identity, in the coastal region (Costa): Manta-Huancavilca-Puná.
The Jivaros, those mysterious "head-shrinking" warriors. In Ecuador, three indigenous Amazonian peoples are grouped together under the name of Jivaros: the Shuar (the most numerous), the Achuar and the Shiwiars. Their territories are currently split in two between Ecuador and Peru, following the 1941 war which reduced Ecuador's territory by half. At the time of the Spanish conquest, they were referred to as Jivaros by the conquistadores, a name that literally means "savages" or "barbarians". It was undoubtedly the custom of tsantzas, or shrunken heads, that most captured the imagination of Westerners and contributed to the reputation of the Jivaros. Following frequent conflicts between different ethnic groups, the heads of slain enemies were brought back as trophies and transformed in the course of a long and complex ritual, to imbibe the strength of the victim's soul and prevent revenge. The head was emptied, boned, dried with ashes and hot stones, filled with sand, sewn and reshaped, and finally made up. It was then proudly displayed around its owner's neck. A large number of Spanish and European explorers, including missionaries, fell victim to this ancestral custom, which popularized in the West the chilling image of bloodthirsty Jivaro head-choppers and made many adventure novelists happy. The practice was not banned by the government until the 1960s. Today, shrunken heads can be seen in most of the country's ethnological museums, but those on offer in the markets are, fortunately, no more than crude reproductions in goatskin or monkey skin...
Creoles
Creoles are the direct descendants of the Europeans who colonized the country. They are mostly descended from Spanish bourgeois families, the youngest of whom have sometimes decided to settle permanently in the country. They represent around 7% of the country's population, and often own farms.
The Afro-Ecuadorians
This minority community, which represents around 3% of the national population, includes the Mulatos and Zambos. Afro-Ecuadorians live mainly in the provinces of Imbabura (Chota Valley) and Esmeraldas, in the north of the country. They are often descendants of freed or abandoned former slaves who have set up their own businesses.
Recent immigration
In recent years, Ecuador has seen the arrival of large numbers of Venezuelans fleeing poverty or their country's political regime. Often young, these new economic immigrants are gradually taking an important place in the consumer society, often accepting low wages that natives would not have accepted. Today, they account for more than half of all foreigners living in the country. (54 %).
