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Population density: Burkina Faso vs El Salvador compared

Updated on by Georank team

Burkina Faso has a population density of 233 people per square mile compared to 799 people in El Salvador. Burkina Faso has 125,334 sq ft of land per person vs 35,733 sq ft in El Salvador. Burkina Faso and El Salvador rank 99th and 33rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burkina Faso has 0.29% of the world's population and 0.18% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.08% of the population and 0.01% of the land area for El Salvador, making the population density in Burkina Faso 70.8% lower than in El Salvador.

Population density by year

Burkina Faso
El Salvador

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Burkina Faso El Salvador
2026 233 799
2025 228 796
2024 222.9 792
2023 218 789
2022 213.1 785
2021 208.2 782
2020 203.3 779
2019 198.4 778
2018 193.5 777
2017 188.3 777
2016 183 775
2015 177.8 773
2014 172.6 770
2013 167.5 767
2012 162.6 764
2011 157.7 761
2010 153.1 759
2009 148.7 756
2008 144.4 754
2007 140.3 751
2006 136.1 750
2005 131.9 751
2004 127.8 751
2003 123.8 750
2002 120 748
2001 116.4 746
2000 112.9 743
1999 109.6 739
1998 106.4 735
1997 103.5 731
1996 100.9 726
1995 98.3 720
1994 95.8 714
1993 93.4 707
1992 91.2 698
1991 88.9 687
1990 86.7 675
1989 84.5 662
1988 82.2 649
1987 80.1 637
1986 77.9 624
1985 75.7 612
1984 73.6 600
1983 71.5 588
1982 69.5 578
1981 67.6 571
1980 65.8 568
1979 64 560
1978 62.4 549
1977 60.9 538
1976 59.5 526
1975 58.2 512
1974 57 501
1973 56 489
1972 55 478
1971 54 467
1970 53.1 456
1969 52.2 444
1968 51.3 432
1967 50.4 421
1966 49.6 409
1965 48.8 397
1964 48 387
1963 47.3 376
1962 46.6 366
1961 45.9 357

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/burkina-faso/el-salvador | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Burkina Faso increased by 71.2%, compared to a 6.51% growth in El Salvador.

In 2006, Burkina Faso ranked 121st by population density and is 99th now. El Salvador was 29th in 2006 and ranks 33rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Burkina Faso
El Salvador
1x
Year Urban population
Burkina Faso El Salvador
2024 28.3% 75.1%
2023 27.8% 74.6%
2022 27.3% 74.1%
2021 26.8% 73.7%
2020 26.4% 73.1%
2019 26.1% 72.4%
2018 26.1% 71.8%
2017 26% 71.1%
2016 25.8% 70.4%
2015 25.6% 69.7%
2014 25.4% 68.9%
2013 25.1% 68.1%
2012 24.8% 67.2%
2011 24.5% 66.3%
2010 24.1% 65.4%
2009 23.7% 64.5%
2008 23.4% 63.6%
2007 23% 62.8%
2006 22.6% 61.9%
2005 22% 61%
2004 21.3% 60.1%
2003 20.6% 59.2%
2002 19.7% 58.3%
2001 18.9% 57.5%
2000 18% 56.6%
1999 17.2% 55.7%
1998 16.4% 54.8%
1997 15.8% 54%
1996 15.3% 53.2%
1995 14.9% 52.4%
1994 14.5% 51.7%
1993 14.2% 50.9%
1992 13.8% 50.3%
1991 13.5% 49.6%
1990 13.2% 49%
1989 12.9% 48.3%
1988 12.6% 47.7%
1987 12.3% 47%
1986 11.9% 46.4%
1985 11.5% 45.7%
1984 10.9% 45.1%
1983 10.4% 44.5%
1982 9.72% 43.9%
1981 9.06% 43.4%
1980 8.42% 42.8%
1979 7.81% 42.3%
1978 7.28% 41.8%
1977 6.85% 41.4%
1976 6.54% 41%
1975 6.38% 40.6%
1974 6.29% 40.2%
1973 6.2% 40%
1972 6.1% 39.7%
1971 6% 39.5%
1970 5.91% 39.4%
1969 5.81% 39.3%
1968 5.72% 39.2%
1967 5.63% 39.1%
1966 5.54% 39%
1965 5.45% 38.9%
1964 5.37% 38.8%
1963 5.28% 38.7%
1962 5.2% 38.6%
1961 5.12% 38.5%
1960 5.04% 38.4%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/burkina-faso/el-salvador | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 21.3% to 28.3% in Burkina Faso and from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador.

Densely populated cities

Burkina Faso
City Population
Ouagadougou 2.45M
Bobo-Dioulasso 904K
Koudougou 160K
Ouahigouya 125K
Fada N'gourma 73.2K
Dedougou 63.6K
Leo 51.7K
El Salvador
City Population
San Salvador 331K
Santa Ana 251K
San Miguel 233K
Soyapango 230K
Mejicanos 137K
Apopa 129K
Ahuachapan 127K
Santa Tecla 126K
Sonsonate 72.2K
Usulutan 66.1K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/burkina-faso/el-salvador | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2019–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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