Claim: Once believed to be merely empty ceremonial centres, the estimated maximum population of Maya city Copán is 50,000, and the estimated maximum population of Maya city Cival is 2,000-5,000.
Evidence: At the peak of its power in the Late Classic, the kingdom of Copán had a population of at least 20,000 and covered an area of over 250 square kilometers (100 sq mi). It may have had a peak population of some 10,000 people.