This statistic shows the ten biggest cities in Canada in 2020, by number of inhabitants. In 2020, approximately 2.73 million people lived in Toronto, making it the biggest city in Canada.

Canada's largest metropolitan area is Toronto, in Ontario. In 2022. Over 6.6 million people were living in the Toronto metropolitan area. Montréal, in Quebec, followed with about 4.4 million inhabitants, while Vancouver, in Britsh Columbia, counted 2.8 million people as of 2022.

Estimated number of persons by quarter of a year and by year, Canada, provinces and territories.

As of July 1, 2022, there were approximately 13.87 million males and 14.13 million females living in metropolitan areas across Canada. This statistic breaks down this figure by metropolitan area. Toronto was the most populated city in the country, counting over 3.2 million males and 3.4 million females.

Urban population (% of total population) in Canada was reported at 81.86 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Urban population (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This table presents the 2021 population counts for census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations, and their population centres and rural areas.

Annual population estimates as of July 1st, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, single year of age, five-year age group and gender, based on the Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2021.

Contained within the Atlas of Canada Poster Map Series, is a poster showing population density across Canada. There is a relief base to the map on top of which is shown all populated areas of Canada where the population density is great than 0.4 persons per square kilometer. This area is then divided into five colour classes of population density based on Statistics Canada's census divisions.

The statistic shows the total population in Canada from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the total population in Canada amounted to about 41.14 million inhabitants. Population of Canada Canada ranks second among the largest countries in the world in terms of area size, right behind Russia, despite having a relatively low total population. The reason for this is that most of Canada remains uninhabited due to inhospitable conditions. Approximately 90 percent of all Canadians live within about 160 km of the U.S. border because of better living conditions and larger cities. On a year to year basis, Canada’s total population has continued to increase, although not dramatically. Population growth as of 2012 has amounted to its highest values in the past decade, reaching a peak in 2009, but was unstable and constantly fluctuating. Simultaneously, Canada’s fertility rate dropped slightly between 2009 and 2011, after experiencing a decade high birth rate in 2008. Standard of living in Canada has remained stable and has kept the country as one of the top 20 countries with the highest Human Development Index rating. The Human Development Index (HDI) measures quality of life based on several indicators, such as life expectancy at birth, literacy rate, education levels and gross national income per capita. Canada has a relatively high life expectancy compared to many other international countries, earning a spot in the top 20 countries and beating out countries such as the United States and the UK. From an economic standpoint, Canada has been slowly recovering from the 2008 financial crisis. Unemployment has gradually decreased, after reaching a decade high in 2009. Additionally, GDP has dramatically increased since 2009 and is expected to continue to increase for the next several years.

Estimated number of persons on July 1, by 5-year age groups and gender, and median age, for Canada, provinces and territories.

This table presents the 2021 and 2016 population and dwelling counts, land area, population density and population ranking for census metropolitan areas or census agglomerations. It also shows the percentage change in the population and dwelling counts between 2016 and 2021.

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a map that shows the density of the Canadian population for 1951. The first map display Western provinces, while the second map concentrates on southern Ontario and the Maritimes. Only the most populous areas are covered. Population density is illustrated by denoting the number of inhabitants per square mile. It shows a significant difference in the population distribution across Canada, mainly in urban and metropolitan areas. The cities with greater inhabitants are clusters within Capital cities, and a even larger concentration south, near the U.S. border, in particular along ocean or inland coastlines.

In 2025, Moscow was the largest city in Europe with an estimated urban agglomeration of 12.74 million people. The French capital, Paris, was the second largest city in 2025 at 11.35 million, followed by the capitals of the United Kingdom and Spain, with London at 9.84 million and Madrid at 6.81 million people. Istanbul, which would otherwise be the largest city in Europe in 2025, is excluded as it is only partially in Europe, with a sizeable part of its population living in Asia. Europe’s population is almost 750 million Since 1950, the population of Europe has increased by approximately 200 million people, increasing from 550 million to 750 million in these seventy years. Before the turn of the millennium, Europe was the second-most populated continent, before it was overtaken by Africa, which saw its population increase from 228 million in 1950 to 817 million by 2000. Asia has consistently had the largest population of the world’s continents and was estimated to have a population of 4.6 billion. Europe’s largest countries Including its territory in Asia, Russia is by far the largest country in the world, with a territory of around 17 million square kilometers, almost double that of the next largest country, Canada. Within Europe, Russia also has the continent's largest population at 145 million, followed by Germany at 83 million and the United Kingdom at almost 68 million. By contrast, Europe is also home to various micro-states such as San Marino, which has a population of just 30 thousand.

Canada, with 3.33 people per square kilometre, has one of the lowest population densities in the world. In 2001, most of Canada's population of 30,007,094 lived within 200 kilometres of the United States (along Canada's south). In fact, the inhabitants of our three biggest cities -- Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver -- can drive to the border in less than two hours. Thousands of kilometres to the north, our polar region -- the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut -- is relatively empty, embracing 41% of our land mass but only 0.3% of our population. An inset map shows in greater detail the Windsor-Québec Corridor where a high concentration of Canadians live.

This product contains 23,887 digitally restored 1971 census enumeration area (EA) boundaries for the 33 census metropolitan areas (CMA) defined by the 2011 census. EAs are the smallest geographical unit for the release of 1971 census statistics. These EA boundaries can be aggregated to the census agglomeration (CA) or the CMA level. The restored EA boundaries also include 1971 population and dwelling statistics. The areas covered by the restored EA polygons account for 61.8% Canada’s total population in 1971. The purpose of the data set is to provide a historical geography in a digital format. It is intended to be used for reference, mapping and for spatial and time series analyses. These boundaries were produced by Statistics Canada, Environment, Energy and Transportation Statistic Division in 2017. The restored 1971 EA boundaries are provided as a single spatial layer. They are also available in Statistics Canada, 2017, “Restoration of the 1971 enumeration area polygons for Canada's largest cities,” Environmental Statistics: Boundary Files, Catalogue no. 16-510-X.

In 2048, the population in Manitoba is projected to reach about 1.84 million people. This is compared to a population of 1.46 million people in 2024.

In 2022, Canada had a population density of about 4.43 people per square kilometer. The country has one of the lowest population densities in the world, as the total population is very small in relation to the dimensions of the land. Canada has a relatively stable population size, consistently with a growth of around one percent compared to the previous year. A small population in a large territory In terms of total area, Canada is the second largest country in the world. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Pacific to the Atlantic and northward to the Arctic Ocean, and this in total covers about 9.9 million square miles. The most densely populated area of Canada is what’s known as the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Canada has a degree of urbanization of around 81 percent, because most Canadians prefer to live in cities where opportunities for work and leisure are in close proximity to each other and conditions are less rough.

Contained within the 1st Edition (1906) of the Atlas of Canada is a plate that shows two maps. The maps show the density of population per square mile for every township in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta, circa 1901. The statistics from the 1901 census are used, yet the population of Saskatchewan and Alberta is shown as confined within the vicinity of the railways, this is because the railways have been brought up to date of publication, 1906. Cities and towns of 5000 inhabitants or more are shown as black dots. The size of the circle is proportionate to the population. The map uses eight classes, seven of which are shades of brown, more densely populated portions are shown in the darker tints. Numbers make it clear which class is being shown in any one township. Major railway systems are shown. The map also displays the rectangular survey system which records the land that is available to the public. This grid like system is divided into sections, townships, range, and meridian from mid-Manitoba to Alberta.

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a plate consisting of four condensed maps that show urban populations of the people living in Canada. The two maps at the top of this plate show the night-time distribution of population, circa 1956 for Metropolitan Toronto and part of Montreal Island. These two maps actually show the distribution of persons in their permanent homes, without adjustments for such persons that may be absent from their homes at night. Persons in short term, transient residence, such as those in hotels and hospitals are not represented. Another map shows the distribution of urban population across Canada, circa 1951. The definition of urban includes all persons residing in cities, towns and villages of 1000 population or more, whether incorporated or unincorporated, as well as the population of all parts of the census metropolitan areas. A smaller scale map of Canada shows urban areas. These are areas in which urban communities of 1000 or more population are 15 or fewer miles apart.

This product contains restored 1971 census enumeration area boundaries for Canada's largest cities. It provides the public with a historical spatial data set to be used for reference, mapping, spatial and time series analysis. The restored boundaries include population and dwelling statistics.