In 2024, it was estimated that approximately 662 million people lived in Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil is the most populated country in the region, with an estimated 211.999 million inhabitants in that year, followed by Mexico with more than 130.861 million.

The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 25 people per square km. The highest value was in Ecuador: 72 people per square km and the lowest value was in Guyana: 4 people per square km. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

As of 2021, Ecuador had a population density of ** people per squared kilometer, the highest in South America. Colombia ranked second, with ** people per km2 of land area. When it comes to total population in South America, Brazil had the largest number, with over *** million inhabitants.

As of 2025, Barbados was the most densely populated country in Latin America and the Caribbean, with approximately 657.16 people per square kilometer. In that same year, Argentina's population density was estimated at approximately 16.75 people per square kilometer.

The average for 2023 based on 12 countries was 50.47 percent. The highest value was in Uruguay: 51.51 percent and the lowest value was in Paraguay: 49.85 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2024 based on 20 countries was 76.97 percent. The highest value was in Uruguay: 95.85 percent and the lowest value was in Guatemala: 53.54 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2025, approximately 23 million people lived in the São Paulo metropolitan area, making it the biggest in Latin America and the Caribbean and the sixth most populated in the world. The homonymous state of São Paulo was also the most populous federal entity in the country. The second place for the region was Mexico City with 22.75 million inhabitants. Brazil's cities Brazil is home to two large metropolises, only counting the population within the city limits, São Paulo had approximately 11.45 million inhabitants, and Rio de Janeiro around 6.21 million inhabitants. It also contains a number of smaller, but well known cities such as Brasília, Salvador, Belo Horizonte and many others, which report between 2 and 3 million inhabitants each. As a result, the country's population is primarily urban, with nearly 88 percent of inhabitants living in cities. Mexico City Mexico City's metropolitan area ranks sevenths in the ranking of most populated cities in the world. Founded over the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan in 1521 after the Spanish conquest as the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, the city still stands as one of the most important in Latin America. Nevertheless, the preeminent economic, political, and cultural position of Mexico City has not prevented the metropolis from suffering the problems affecting the rest of the country, namely, inequality and violence. Only in 2023, the city registered a crime incidence of 52,723 reported cases for every 100,000 inhabitants and around 24 percent of the population lived under the poverty line.

Based on land area, Brazil is the largest country in Latin America by far, with a total area of over 8.5 million square kilometers. Argentina follows with almost 2.8 million square kilometers. Cuba, whose surface area extends over almost 111,000 square kilometers, is the Caribbean country with the largest territory.

Brazil: a country with a lot to offer

Brazil's borders reach nearly half of the South American subcontinent, making it the fifth-largest country in the world and the third-largest country in the Western Hemisphere. Along with its landmass, Brazil also boasts the largest population and economy in the region. Although Brasília is the capital, the most significant portion of the country's population is concentrated along its coastline in the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

South America: a region of extreme geographic variation

With the Andes mountain range in the West, the Amazon Rainforest in the East, the Equator in the North, and Cape Horn as the Southern-most continental tip, South America has some of the most diverse climatic and ecological terrains in the world. At its core, its biodiversity can largely be attributed to the Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest, and the Amazon river, the world's largest river. However, with this incredible wealth of ecology also comes great responsibility. In the past decade, roughly 80,000 square kilometers of the Brazilian Amazon were destroyed. And, as of late 2019, there were at least 1,000 threatened species in Brazil alone.

This dataset provides values for POPULATION reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The South American nation with the highest prison population rate in 2024 was Uruguay, with 449 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Brazil, with 389 prisoners. The country in South America with the lowest prison population rate was Ecuador, with 179 per 100,000 persons.

The average for 2023 based on 20 countries was 50.67 percent. The highest value was in Puerto Rico: 52.88 percent and the lowest value was in Honduras: 49.65 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Guyana was the South American country 20360the highest gross national income per capita, with 20,360 U.S. dollars per person in 2023. Uruguay ranked second, registering a GNI of 19,530 U.S. dollars per person, based on current prices. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. Which are the largest Latin American economies? Based on annual gross domestic product, which is the total amount of goods and services produced in a country per year, Brazil leads the regional ranking, followed by Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Many Caribbean countries and territories hold the highest GDP per capita in this region, measurement that reflects how GDP would be divided if it was perfectly equally distributed among the population. GNI per capita is, however, a more exact calculation of wealth than GDP per capita, as it takes into consideration taxes paid and income receipts from abroad. How much inequality is there in Latin America? In many Latin American countries, more than half the total wealth created in their economies is held by the richest 20 percent of the population. When a small share of the population concentrates most of the wealth, millions of people don't have enough to make ends meet. For instance, in Brazil, about 5.32 percent of the population lives on less than 3.2 U.S. dollars per day.

In 2024, citizens originally from Colombia were the most common South American nationality in Spain, with about ******* residents. The Venezuela population in June of that year was over *******, making this group the second-largest nationality in Spain.

As of February 2025, more than 76 percent of the population of Uruguay was on social media. On the other hand, approximately 22 percent of Haitians used social networking platforms. Among the largest Latin American markets, Brazil had the lowest social media penetration rate at 67.8 percent, just below Colombia and Argentina. Online networking among Chilean young adults intensifies Young adults are the primary audience of social media in Chile. Nearly half of all Facebook users in the South American country were between 18 and 34 years old. The same age group accounted for almost 80 percent of Chilean users of LinkedIn. This generation has also been devoting more of its time to this type of online activity. Obstacles for the expansion of social media in Brazil A handful of issues still set part of Latin America's online population apart from social networks. Despite having the biggest social media audiences in Latin America, countries like Brazil and Mexico still struggled to provide internet access to their populations, thus hindering social media penetration rates.

The statistic shows the largest countries in South America, based on land area. Brazil is the largest country by far, with a total area of over 8.5 million square kilometers, followed by Argentina, with almost 2.8 million square kilometers.

Brazil, the most populated country and the economy with the highest GDP in Latin America, had the largest market research revenue in the region in 2022. Out of all the Latin American and Caribbean countries included in the study, Brazil ranked first, with a market research revenue of *** million U.S. dollars, followed by Mexico, with *** million U.S. dollars.

In 2022, there are around 23.14 million social media users in Peru, around 1.25 million more than the previous year. This figure is forecast to grow to 28.03 million users by 2027. In the same year, more than 68.68 percent of the population in the South American country accessed social media.

In 2024, Brazil was the Latin American country that performed the highest number of cosmetic surgery procedures, with 2.4 million. Mexico followed with 734,000 surgical procedures completed that year. Colombia and Argentina were also among the leading countries, with around 321,000 and 210,000 procedures, respectively. Cosmetic surgeries in Brazil Brazil is also the nation with the second-highest share of plastic surgeons and the largest share of plastic surgical procedures in the world. As of 2024, the country accounted for 11.1 and 13.5 percent of the total for each category, respectively. The most popular surgical cosmetic procedures in the South American country are liposuction, breast augmentation, and eyelid surgeries. Plastic surgeons in Brazil The density of plastic surgeons in Brazil has been increasing in recent years, going from 2.5 professionals per 100,000 population in 2013 to three per 100,000 population in 2024. As of that year, nearly 7,000 plastic surgeons were registered in the country, most of them in the Southeast Region, the wealthiest and most populated region in Brazil.

There has been an overall increase in the number of people living within the city limits of Lima throughout the time frame displayed. The population in the Peruvian capital growth has been steady since 2020, surpassing the 10 million inhabitants during 2022 and leading to reach its highest peak in 2024 with 10.29 million people. The metropolitan area of Lima also ranked as one of the most populous in Latin America. A crucial part of Peru's economic output The total GDP of Lima reached around 246 billion Peruvian soles, which represents almost half of the total economic output of the country. The industry that contributed the most to Lima's GDP was by far services; nonetheless, the importance of manufacturing makes it the second-largest contributor. Other sectors that are important for the nation, like mining and some agricultural activities, stayed at the bottom part of the list.

Unemployment and poverty The unemployment rate of the Peruvian capital exceeded the 7.5 percent mark during March 2024. While the figure appears as quite an improvement over 2020 and 2021 data, when it reached over 16 percent, it still hasn't fully recovered to the figures before the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the poverty rate presented a growing trend from 2017 to 2023, reaching 9.5 percent of Lima's residents living under the poverty line.

The South American health and fitness industry, currently valued at $4.63 billion in 2025, is poised for robust growth, projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.26% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. Rising health consciousness among the burgeoning middle class is a significant factor, leading to increased demand for fitness services and memberships. The growing prevalence of lifestyle diseases like obesity and diabetes is further incentivizing individuals to prioritize physical well-being. Additionally, the increasing availability of diverse fitness options, from traditional gyms to specialized studios and online platforms, caters to evolving consumer preferences and expands market accessibility. Technological advancements, such as fitness tracking apps and virtual training programs, are also contributing to market growth by enhancing convenience and personalization. Competition is fierce, with established players like Anytime Fitness, Bio Ritmo, and Gold's Gym vying for market share alongside local chains and independent studios. While market growth is promising, challenges remain. Economic instability in certain South American nations can impact consumer spending on discretionary items like fitness memberships. Furthermore, maintaining affordability and accessibility across different socioeconomic groups is crucial for sustained market expansion. The market is segmented by service type (membership fees, admission fees, personal training) and geography (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and the Rest of South America). Brazil is expected to dominate the market, given its larger population and more developed fitness infrastructure compared to other South American nations. The geographic segmentation reveals significant market potential within Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. Brazil, possessing the largest population and a more established fitness infrastructure, is likely to command the largest market share. Argentina and Colombia follow closely, exhibiting strong growth potential due to increasing health awareness and rising disposable incomes. The "Rest of South America" segment, while smaller, offers untapped opportunities for expansion as fitness trends gain traction in these regions. Competitive analysis reveals a mix of international and regional players. International brands leverage established reputations and standardized offerings, while local gyms benefit from community engagement and localized pricing strategies. The future of the South American health and fitness market is bright, contingent upon addressing affordability, economic fluctuations, and continually innovating to meet the evolving needs and preferences of a diverse consumer base. Further research into specific regional market dynamics and competitive landscapes within each country will be crucial for strategic market entry and success. Notable trends are: Increasing Inclination toward Health Clubs for Fitness.