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Population density: Chile vs El Salvador compared

Updated on by Georank team

Chile has a population density of 69.6 people per square mile compared to 799 people in El Salvador. Chile has 411,774 sq ft of land per person vs 35,733 sq ft in El Salvador. Chile and El Salvador rank 162nd and 33rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Chile has 0.24% of the world's population and 0.5% 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 Chile 91.3% lower than in El Salvador.

Population density by year

Chile
El Salvador

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Chile El Salvador
2026 69.6 799
2025 69.3 796
2024 68.9 792
2023 68.5 789
2022 68.2 785
2021 67.8 782
2020 67.5 779
2019 66.9 778
2018 65.9 777
2017 64.8 777
2016 63.7 775
2015 63 773
2014 62.4 770
2013 61.6 767
2012 61 764
2011 60.4 761
2010 59.8 759
2009 59.3 756
2008 58.7 754
2007 58.1 751
2006 57.5 750
2005 56.9 751
2004 56.4 751
2003 55.8 750
2002 55.2 748
2001 54.6 746
2000 54 743
1999 53.4 739
1998 52.7 735
1997 52 731
1996 51.3 726
1995 50.6 720
1994 49.9 714
1993 49.1 707
1992 48.4 698
1991 47.6 687
1990 46.8 675
1989 46 662
1988 45.3 649
1987 44.6 637
1986 43.9 624
1985 43.2 612
1984 42.5 600
1983 41.9 588
1982 41.3 578
1981 40.7 571
1980 40.1 568
1979 39.5 560
1978 38.9 549
1977 38.3 538
1976 37.8 526
1975 37.2 512
1974 36.6 501
1973 36 489
1972 35.4 478
1971 34.9 467
1970 34.3 456
1969 33.7 444
1968 33.1 432
1967 32.6 421
1966 32 409
1965 31.4 397
1964 30.8 387
1963 30.2 376
1962 29.6 366
1961 29 357

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/chile/el-salvador | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Chile increased by 21%, compared to a 6.51% growth in El Salvador.

In 2006, Chile ranked 156th by population density and is 162nd now. El Salvador was 29th in 2006 and ranks 33rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Chile
El Salvador
1x
Year Urban population
Chile El Salvador
2024 89% 75.1%
2023 88.8% 74.6%
2022 88.6% 74.1%
2021 88.5% 73.7%
2020 88.3% 73.1%
2019 88.1% 72.4%
2018 88% 71.8%
2017 87.8% 71.1%
2016 87.6% 70.4%
2015 87.5% 69.7%
2014 87.3% 68.9%
2013 87.2% 68.1%
2012 87.1% 67.2%
2011 87% 66.3%
2010 87% 65.4%
2009 86.9% 64.5%
2008 86.9% 63.6%
2007 86.8% 62.8%
2006 86.8% 61.9%
2005 86.8% 61%
2004 86.7% 60.1%
2003 86.7% 59.2%
2002 86.6% 58.3%
2001 86.5% 57.5%
2000 86.3% 56.6%
1999 86% 55.7%
1998 85.6% 54.8%
1997 85.2% 54%
1996 84.8% 53.2%
1995 84.4% 52.4%
1994 84% 51.7%
1993 83.7% 50.9%
1992 83.5% 50.3%
1991 83.3% 49.6%
1990 83.2% 49%
1989 83.1% 48.3%
1988 83% 47.7%
1987 82.9% 47%
1986 82.8% 46.4%
1985 82.7% 45.7%
1984 82.6% 45.1%
1983 82.4% 44.5%
1982 82.3% 43.9%
1981 82% 43.4%
1980 81.7% 42.8%
1979 81.2% 42.3%
1978 80.7% 41.8%
1977 80.1% 41.4%
1976 79.5% 41%
1975 78.8% 40.6%
1974 78.1% 40.2%
1973 77.4% 40%
1972 76.7% 39.7%
1971 75.9% 39.5%
1970 75.3% 39.4%
1969 74.6% 39.3%
1968 73.9% 39.2%
1967 73.2% 39.1%
1966 72.5% 39%
1965 71.8% 38.9%
1964 71% 38.8%
1963 70.3% 38.7%
1962 69.5% 38.6%
1961 68.7% 38.5%
1960 67.8% 38.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 86.7% to 89% in Chile and from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador.

Densely populated cities

Chile
City Population
Santiago 6.26M
Puente Alto 574K
Antofagasta 349K
Vina del Mar 333K
San Bernardo 301K
Valparaiso 297K
Temuco 282K
Talcahuano 270K
Talca 232K
Rancagua 231K
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/chile/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 (2001–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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