Montevideo's 2026 population is now estimated at 1,285,414. In 1996, the population of Montevideo was 1,382,538. Montevideo experienced a decrease of -5,820 residents over the past year, marking an annual decline of -0.45%. These population values and projections come from Uruguay department population 1996/2011/2023 (INE Censo 2023 Table 1) and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Montevideo is a city located in Uruguay. It is not just the capital city but it is also the most populous city in the country. The city is the southernmost capital in the Americas, and it is home to approximately one-third of the country’s total population. Montevideo’s city proper has a population of 1.3 million inhabitants.
The capital city has a total area of 77.5 square miles, with a population density of 17,421 inhabitants per square mile. The metro area spans over 600 square miles and has a population of almost 2 million.
There is a higher population of females than males in Montevideo, making up over 53% of the total population.
The city throughout the 20th century saw a large influx of immigrants from all over Europe, including French, Germans, Spanish and Italians. People from all over the world have come to call Montevideo home because of its thriving economy and very high quality of life – the highest in Latin America.
The population throughout the years has primarily grown, rising from just over 300,000 in 1908 to over 1 million by the 1960s. The population saw a small decline in population between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s, before seeing growth again in the 1980s and 1990s. However, another population drop occurred between 1996 and 2004, primarily because of lowered fertility and migration out of the city. However, census data between 2004 and 2011 showed that the population was on the rise again. This trend should continue as the city is consistently ranked as having the highest quality of life in Latin America and offers multiple employment and educational opportunities for its residents.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Montevideo | 1,285,414 | -0.45% |
| Canelones | 628,474 | 1.06% |
| Maldonado | 224,587 | 1.79% |
| Salto | 138,111 | 0.47% |
| Colonia | 137,993 | 0.54% |
| Paysandú | 123,079 | 0.34% |
| San José | 122,184 | 0.68% |
| Rivera | 110,006 | 0.21% |
| Tacuarembó | 96,720 | 0.24% |
| Cerro Largo | 91,481 | 0.17% |
| Soriano | 83,474 | -0.08% |
| Rocha | 82,611 | 0.78% |
| Artigas | 77,852 | 0.16% |
| Florida | 70,593 | 0.13% |
| Durazno | 62,783 | 0.41% |
| Lavalleja | 58,920 | -0.14% |
| Río Negro | 57,669 | 0.19% |
| Treinta y Tres | 47,006 | -0.49% |
| Flores | 26,212 | -0.08% |