Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Population 2024

Rio de Janeiro's 2024 population is now estimated at 13,824,300In 1950, the population of Rio de Janeiro was 3,026,200Rio de Janeiro has grown by 96,600 in the last year, which represents a 0.7% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Rio de Janeiro, which typically includes Rio de Janeiro's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Rio de Janeiro, or Rio, is the capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the second-largest city of Brazil. Rio is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere, home to many famous landmarks such as the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the Corcovado mountain, which was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. In 2016, Rio de Janeiro will become the first South American and Portuguese-speaking nation to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio de Janeiro has an estimated population of 6.45 million in 2016.

Rio de Janeiro has an estimated 2016 population of 6.45 million, which ranks 2nd in Brazil. It is also the third largest metro area and agglomeration in South America, and the 6th largest city in the Americas.

City Size and Population Density

The city proper has a population density of 5,377 people per square kilometer, or 13,930 per square mile. The city proper covers a total surface area of 1,221 km² (486.5 sq mi), while the metro region expands out to 4,539.8 km² (1,759.6 sq mi). The metro population of Rio de Janeiro is much larger, however, with an estimated 12 million residents in 2016.

Rio de Janeiro Demographics

The Portuguese make up the main population of this bustling city, with more people of Portuguese descent than Brazil’s capital, Lisbon. However, Portuguese citizens are not the only people that fill the street of Rio de Janeiro. Other ethnicities that call this city home include those of Asian, European and African descent. People with African roots are often referred to as Afro-Brazilians among the scholarly community specializing in anthropology outside of Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro History

By the mid-16th century, French settlers called an island just off of Rio de Janeiro their home – but, not for long. A war was waged to expel the French from the land and to claim the property as theirs, in accordance with the Treaty of Tordesillas. The Portuguese population continued to expand in this area, as the French were pushed out of the land.

After Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro was once the official capital of Brazil before it won its independence from Portugal and became its own country. It earned the title (which was taken from the city of Bahia) of being the capital during the year 1763, further allowing the popular city to expand beyond its original size. During this city’s early years, the main source of income for many settlers was sugar plantation and fishing. During the gold and diamond rush of the 18th century, the city’s population swelled when people heard of the discovery of the valuable commodities which were available in the neighboring town of Minas Gerais.

During the early 18th century, diamond and gold mining enticed European settlers to migrate into the city, bringing the population up to a whopping 24,000 by 1749. By the early 19th century, the Royal Family of Portugal fled their homeland in an attempt to escape Napoleon’s presence in Portugal. They settled in Rio de Janeiro, bringing along with them their servants and noblemen. Unfortunately, many lower class citizens within the community were ousted from their homes in order to make room for the royalty’s entourage.

Rio de Janeiro Population Growth

Today, this grand city continues its prosperous growth rate. Even after Rio de Janeiro lost its title of being the capital of Brazil in 1960, its population still swelled to an additional seven million people within sixty years of the announcement. Rio de Janeiro is still home to millions of citizens – with 3.9 million people added to the population census in 1950.

The city is home to more civilians than its neighboring suburban communities and continues its growth even today. In a 2010 population estimate by Demographia, Rio de Janeiro was the home of more than 11.6 million residents. Estimated projections for 2025 show the population will grow to at least 13.1 million people. By 2030, that number is projected to reach over 13.6 million citizens. Luckily, expansive amounts of land make additional urban development strategies a possible option for this swelling city.

Country
Brazil
Growth Rate
0.7%

86 Rows

Year
Population
203514,810,200
203414,738,000
203314,661,700
203214,581,300
203114,496,800
203014,408,300
202914,316,100
202814,220,600
202714,122,700
202614,023,100
202513,923,200
202413,824,300
202313,727,700
202213,634,300
202113,544,500
202013,458,100
201913,374,300
201813,293,200
201713,174,800
201613,057,400
201512,940,800
201412,825,400
201312,711,000
201212,597,800
201112,485,200
201012,373,900
200912,263,500
200812,154,300
200712,045,700
200611,938,300
200511,831,800
200411,726,400
200311,621,700
200211,518,000
200111,415,300
200011,306,800
199911,125,800
199810,948,000
199710,773,100
199610,601,200
199510,431,500
199410,264,800
199310,100,800
19929,939,590
19919,791,310
19909,697,490
19899,604,570
19889,512,660
19879,421,390
19869,331,120
19859,241,710
19849,153,280
19839,065,450
19828,978,590
19818,892,560
19808,783,870
19798,562,700
19788,347,400
19778,137,510
19767,933,180
19757,733,430
19747,538,980
19737,349,410
19727,164,870
19716,984,470
19706,790,520
19696,515,570
19686,252,100
19675,998,610
19665,755,730
19655,522,670
19645,299,360
19635,084,500
19624,878,620
19614,681,090
19604,493,180
19594,318,840
19584,151,490
19573,990,620
19563,836,190
19553,687,340
19543,544,460
19533,407,120
19523,275,270
19513,148,180
19503,026,200

86 Rows

Year
Population
Change
Growth
19503,026,2000%0
19513,148,1804.03%121,980
19523,275,2704.04%127,090
19533,407,1204.03%131,850
19543,544,4604.03%137,340
19553,687,3404.03%142,880
19563,836,1904.04%148,850
19573,990,6204.03%154,430
19584,151,4904.03%160,870
19594,318,8404.03%167,350
19604,493,1804.04%174,340
19614,681,0904.18%187,910
19624,878,6204.22%197,530
19635,084,5004.22%205,880
19645,299,3604.23%214,860
19655,522,6704.21%223,310
19665,755,7304.22%233,060
19675,998,6104.22%242,880
19686,252,1004.23%253,490
19696,515,5704.21%263,470
19706,790,5204.22%274,950
19716,984,4702.86%193,950
19727,164,8702.58%180,400
19737,349,4102.58%184,540
19747,538,9802.58%189,570
19757,733,4302.58%194,450
19767,933,1802.58%199,750
19778,137,5102.58%204,330
19788,347,4002.58%209,890
19798,562,7002.58%215,300
19808,783,8702.58%221,170
19818,892,5601.24%108,690
19828,978,5900.97%86,030
19839,065,4500.97%86,860
19849,153,2800.97%87,830
19859,241,7100.97%88,430
19869,331,1200.97%89,410
19879,421,3900.97%90,270
19889,512,6600.97%91,270
19899,604,5700.97%91,910
19909,697,4900.97%92,920
19919,791,3100.97%93,820
19929,939,5901.51%148,280
199310,100,8001.62%161,210
199410,264,8001.62%164,000
199510,431,5001.62%166,700
199610,601,2001.63%169,700
199710,773,1001.62%171,900
199810,948,0001.62%174,900
199911,125,8001.62%177,800
200011,306,8001.63%181,000
200111,415,3000.96%108,500
200211,518,0000.9%102,700
200311,621,7000.9%103,700
200411,726,4000.9%104,700
200511,831,8000.9%105,400
200611,938,3000.9%106,500
200712,045,7000.9%107,400
200812,154,3000.9%108,600
200912,263,5000.9%109,200
201012,373,9000.9%110,400
201112,485,2000.9%111,300
201212,597,8000.9%112,600
201312,711,0000.9%113,200
201412,825,4000.9%114,400
201512,940,8000.9%115,400
201613,057,4000.9%116,600
201713,174,8000.9%117,400
201813,293,2000.9%118,400
201913,374,3000.61%81,100
202013,458,1000.63%83,800
202113,544,5000.64%86,400
202213,634,3000.66%89,800
202313,727,7000.69%93,400
202413,824,3000.7%96,600
202513,923,2000.72%98,900
202614,023,1000.72%99,900
202714,122,7000.71%99,600
202814,220,6000.69%97,900
202914,316,1000.67%95,500
203014,408,3000.64%92,200
203114,496,8000.61%88,500
203214,581,3000.58%84,500
203314,661,7000.55%80,400
203414,738,0000.52%76,300
203514,810,2000.49%72,200

Rio de Janeiro Population Data (Urban Area)

Name
2024 Pop.
2024 Growth
Sao Paulo22,806,7000.83%
Rio De Janeiro13,824,3000.7%
Belo Horizonte6,300,4100.84%
Brasilia4,935,2701.28%
Recife4,305,1300.97%
Fortaleza4,246,4000.95%
Porto Alegre4,239,8700.66%
Salvador3,994,9800.92%
Curitiba3,852,4601.03%
Campinas3,458,4401.04%
Goiania2,890,4201.47%
Belem2,432,1800.95%
Manaus2,406,8501.31%
Grande Vitoria2,196,8201.21%
Baixada Santista1,965,1100.89%
Natal1,556,4101.37%
Grande Sao Luis1,536,0200.81%
Joao Pessoa1,435,1200.93%
Maceio1,375,9800.91%
Joinville1,361,9901%

Other Cities in Brazil

  1. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - Rio de Janeiro census data and statistics
  2. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - Population estimates and area breakdown

Sources