Skip to content

Population density: Cuba vs El Salvador compared

Updated on by Georank team

Cuba has a population density of 271.8 people per square mile compared to 799 people in El Salvador. Cuba has 107,724 sq ft of land per person vs 35,733 sq ft in El Salvador. Cuba and El Salvador rank 90th and 33rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Cuba has 0.14% of the world's population and 0.07% 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 Cuba 66% lower than in El Salvador.

Population density by year

Cuba
El Salvador

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Cuba El Salvador
2026 271.8 799
2025 272.9 796
2024 274 792
2023 275 789
2022 276 785
2021 277.5 782
2020 278.9 779
2019 279.5 778
2018 280.1 777
2017 280.7 777
2016 280.4 775
2015 280.5 773
2014 281 770
2013 280.8 767
2012 274.5 764
2011 273.9 761
2010 274.9 759
2009 274.8 756
2008 274.8 754
2007 274.7 751
2006 274.5 750
2005 274 751
2004 273.5 751
2003 272.9 750
2002 272.1 748
2001 268.7 746
2000 267.9 743
1999 267 739
1998 266.1 735
1997 265.2 731
1996 264.4 726
1995 263.5 720
1994 262.5 714
1993 261.4 707
1992 260.1 698
1991 258.5 687
1990 256.4 675
1989 254 662
1988 251.6 649
1987 249.2 637
1986 247 624
1985 244.9 612
1984 242.9 600
1983 240.9 588
1982 239 578
1981 237.5 571
1980 236.4 568
1979 235.4 560
1978 234.2 549
1977 232.7 538
1976 230.8 526
1975 228.6 512
1974 226.1 501
1973 223.2 489
1972 220 478
1971 216.5 467
1970 212.8 456
1969 209 444
1968 205.2 432
1967 201.4 421
1966 197.6 409
1965 193.7 397
1964 189.7 387
1963 185.7 376
1962 181.9 366
1961 178.1 357

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/cuba/el-salvador | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Cuba decreased by 0.96%, compared to a 6.51% growth in El Salvador.

In 2006, Cuba ranked 76th by population density and is 90th now. El Salvador was 29th in 2006 and ranks 33rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Cuba
El Salvador
1x
Year Urban population
Cuba El Salvador
2024 77.2% 75.1%
2023 77.1% 74.6%
2022 77.1% 74.1%
2021 77.1% 73.7%
2020 77.1% 73.1%
2019 77.1% 72.4%
2018 77% 71.8%
2017 77% 71.1%
2016 76.9% 70.4%
2015 76.9% 69.7%
2014 76.8% 68.9%
2013 76.8% 68.1%
2012 76.8% 67.2%
2011 76.7% 66.3%
2010 76.6% 65.4%
2009 76.5% 64.5%
2008 76.4% 63.6%
2007 76.2% 62.8%
2006 76.1% 61.9%
2005 76% 61%
2004 75.9% 60.1%
2003 75.9% 59.2%
2002 75.9% 58.3%
2001 75.9% 57.5%
2000 75.6% 56.6%
1999 75.4% 55.7%
1998 75.3% 54.8%
1997 75.1% 54%
1996 74.8% 53.2%
1995 74.6% 52.4%
1994 74.5% 51.7%
1993 74.5% 50.9%
1992 74.4% 50.3%
1991 74.1% 49.6%
1990 73.7% 49%
1989 73.3% 48.3%
1988 72.7% 47.7%
1987 72.1% 47%
1986 71.6% 46.4%
1985 71.1% 45.7%
1984 70.8% 45.1%
1983 70.3% 44.5%
1982 69.5% 43.9%
1981 68.9% 43.4%
1980 68.4% 42.8%
1979 67.7% 42.3%
1978 66.9% 41.8%
1977 65.9% 41.4%
1976 64.9% 41%
1975 63.9% 40.6%
1974 63% 40.2%
1973 62.1% 40%
1972 61.3% 39.7%
1971 60.7% 39.5%
1970 60.3% 39.4%
1969 59.9% 39.3%
1968 59.6% 39.2%
1967 59.4% 39.1%
1966 59.1% 39%
1965 58.8% 38.9%
1964 58.6% 38.8%
1963 58.3% 38.7%
1962 58.1% 38.6%
1961 57.9% 38.5%
1960 57.7% 38.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 75.9% to 77.2% in Cuba and from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador.

Densely populated cities

Cuba
City Population
Havana 2.49M
Santiago de Cuba 445K
Holguin 350K
Camaguey 322K
Santa Clara 247K
Bayamo 235K
Guantanamo 228K
Las Tunas 202K
Pinar del Rio 189K
Cienfuegos 165K
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/cuba/el-salvador | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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 (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.