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Population density: Colombia vs El Salvador compared

Updated on by Georank team

Colombia has a population density of 126 people per square mile compared to 799 people in El Salvador. Colombia has 232,379 sq ft of land per person vs 35,733 sq ft in El Salvador. Colombia and El Salvador rank 140th and 33rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Colombia has 0.65% of the world's population and 0.74% 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 Colombia 84.2% lower than in El Salvador.

Population density by year

Colombia
El Salvador

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Colombia El Salvador
2026 126 799
2025 124.8 796
2024 123.5 792
2023 122.1 789
2022 120.8 785
2021 119.5 782
2020 118.2 779
2019 116.5 778
2018 114.4 777
2017 112.4 777
2016 110.7 775
2015 109.6 773
2014 108.7 770
2013 107.7 767
2012 106.7 764
2011 105.7 761
2010 104.5 759
2009 103.3 756
2008 102.1 754
2007 100.9 751
2006 99.7 750
2005 98.3 751
2004 97 751
2003 95.6 750
2002 94.1 748
2001 92.7 746
2000 91.3 743
1999 89.8 739
1998 88.2 735
1997 86.7 731
1996 85.1 726
1995 83.6 720
1994 82 714
1993 80.4 707
1992 78.8 698
1991 77.3 687
1990 75.7 675
1989 74.2 662
1988 72.7 649
1987 71.2 637
1986 69.7 624
1985 68.3 612
1984 66.9 600
1983 65.3 588
1982 63.8 578
1981 62.4 571
1980 60.9 568
1979 59.6 560
1978 58.2 549
1977 56.9 538
1976 55.7 526
1975 54.5 512
1974 53.3 501
1973 52.1 489
1972 50.9 478
1971 49.8 467
1970 48.6 456
1969 47.4 444
1968 46.1 432
1967 44.9 421
1966 43.7 409
1965 42.4 397
1964 41.2 387
1963 40 376
1962 38.7 366
1961 37.6 357

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/colombia/el-salvador | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Colombia increased by 26.4%, compared to a 6.51% growth in El Salvador.

In 2006, Colombia ranked 136th by population density and is 140th now. El Salvador was 29th in 2006 and ranks 33rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Colombia
El Salvador
1x
Year Urban population
Colombia El Salvador
2024 78.5% 75.1%
2023 78.3% 74.6%
2022 78% 74.1%
2021 77.8% 73.7%
2020 77.6% 73.1%
2019 77.5% 72.4%
2018 77.3% 71.8%
2017 77.2% 71.1%
2016 77.2% 70.4%
2015 77.2% 69.7%
2014 77.1% 68.9%
2013 77% 68.1%
2012 76.9% 67.2%
2011 76.8% 66.3%
2010 76.7% 65.4%
2009 76.6% 64.5%
2008 76.5% 63.6%
2007 76.3% 62.8%
2006 76.2% 61.9%
2005 76% 61%
2004 75.8% 60.1%
2003 75.5% 59.2%
2002 75.2% 58.3%
2001 74.8% 57.5%
2000 74.3% 56.6%
1999 73.9% 55.7%
1998 73.4% 54.8%
1997 72.9% 54%
1996 72.3% 53.2%
1995 71.8% 52.4%
1994 71.3% 51.7%
1993 70.9% 50.9%
1992 70.4% 50.3%
1991 70% 49.6%
1990 69.5% 49%
1989 69% 48.3%
1988 68.5% 47.7%
1987 68.1% 47%
1986 67.6% 46.4%
1985 67.1% 45.7%
1984 66.6% 45.1%
1983 66.1% 44.5%
1982 65.7% 43.9%
1981 65.2% 43.4%
1980 64.7% 42.8%
1979 64.3% 42.3%
1978 63.8% 41.8%
1977 63.2% 41.4%
1976 62.7% 41%
1975 62.1% 40.6%
1974 61.5% 40.2%
1973 60.8% 40%
1972 60% 39.7%
1971 59.1% 39.5%
1970 58.2% 39.4%
1969 57.2% 39.3%
1968 56.1% 39.2%
1967 55% 39.1%
1966 54% 39%
1965 53% 38.9%
1964 52% 38.8%
1963 51% 38.7%
1962 50.1% 38.6%
1961 49.1% 38.5%
1960 48.1% 38.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 75.8% to 78.5% in Colombia and from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador.

Densely populated cities

Colombia
City Population
Bogota 8.03M
Medellin 2.53M
Cali 2.47M
Barranquilla 1.33M
Cartagena 915K
Cucuta 806K
Soacha 783K
Soledad 676K
Villavicencio 664K
Bucaramanga 615K
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/colombia/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 (2018–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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