El Salvador has a population density of 792 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, El Salvador ranked 33rd out of 197.
El Salvador has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.01% of all countries' land area.
Population density in El Salvador compared to the World's average
El Salvador
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 792 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 33/197 | N/A |
| Population |
6386184
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 8,000 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 35,188 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 24% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 76% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
El Salvador population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in El Salvador has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 5.55%. The population density rank was 27th 21 years ago and is 33rd today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 792 | 33 |
| 2023 | 789 | 32 |
| 2022 | 785 | 32 |
| 2021 | 782 | 32 |
| 2020 | 779 | 32 |
| 2019 | 778 | 31 |
| 2018 | 777 | 31 |
| 2017 | 777 | 31 |
| 2016 | 775 | 31 |
| 2015 | 773 | 30 |
| 2014 | 770 | 30 |
| 2013 | 767 | 30 |
| 2012 | 764 | 30 |
| 2011 | 761 | 30 |
| 2010 | 759 | 29 |
| 2009 | 756 | 29 |
| 2008 | 754 | 29 |
| 2007 | 751 | 29 |
| 2006 | 750 | 29 |
| 2005 | 751 | 29 |
| 2004 | 751 | 27 |
| 2003 | 750 | 28 |
| 2002 | 748 | 28 |
| 2001 | 746 | 28 |
| 2000 | 743 | 28 |
| 1999 | 739 | 24 |
| 1998 | 735 | 24 |
| 1997 | 731 | 24 |
| 1996 | 726 | 22 |
| 1995 | 720 | 22 |
| 1994 | 714 | 21 |
| 1993 | 707 | 22 |
| 1992 | 698 | 22 |
| 1991 | 687 | 22 |
| 1990 | 675 | 23 |
| 1989 | 662 | 22 |
| 1988 | 649 | 22 |
| 1987 | 637 | 22 |
| 1986 | 624 | 22 |
| 1985 | 612 | 22 |
| 1984 | 600 | 23 |
| 1983 | 588 | 23 |
| 1982 | 578 | 25 |
| 1981 | 571 | 25 |
| 1980 | 568 | 23 |
| 1979 | 560 | 23 |
| 1978 | 549 | 24 |
| 1977 | 538 | 24 |
| 1976 | 526 | 24 |
| 1975 | 512 | 24 |
| 1974 | 501 | 24 |
| 1973 | 489 | 24 |
| 1972 | 478 | 25 |
| 1971 | 467 | 25 |
| 1970 | 456 | 25 |
| 1969 | 444 | 25 |
| 1968 | 432 | 26 |
| 1967 | 421 | 27 |
| 1966 | 409 | 27 |
| 1965 | 397 | 27 |
| 1964 | 387 | 29 |
| 1963 | 376 | 29 |
| 1962 | 366 | 29 |
| 1961 | 357 | 29 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in El Salvador from 1960 to 2024: 38.4% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 58.9% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 76%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 76% | 62 |
| 2023 | 75.4% | 62 |
| 2022 | 74.8% | 64 |
| 2021 | 74.1% | 65 |
| 2020 | 73.4% | 66 |
| 2019 | 72.7% | 66 |
| 2018 | 72% | 67 |
| 2017 | 71.3% | 67 |
| 2016 | 70.5% | 68 |
| 2015 | 69.7% | 69 |
| 2014 | 68.9% | 72 |
| 2013 | 68% | 74 |
| 2012 | 67.2% | 77 |
| 2011 | 66.3% | 78 |
| 2010 | 65.5% | 79 |
| 2009 | 64.6% | 79 |
| 2008 | 63.7% | 79 |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 81 |
| 2006 | 62.2% | 81 |
| 2005 | 61.6% | 82 |
| 2004 | 61.1% | 83 |
| 2003 | 60.6% | 82 |
| 2002 | 60% | 82 |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 84 |
| 2000 | 58.9% | 84 |
| 1999 | 58.4% | 84 |
| 1998 | 57.8% | 84 |
| 1997 | 56.5% | 86 |
| 1996 | 55.3% | 89 |
| 1995 | 54% | 92 |
| 1994 | 52.7% | 94 |
| 1993 | 51.4% | 97 |
| 1992 | 50.3% | 99 |
| 1991 | 49.8% | 99 |
| 1990 | 49.3% | 100 |
| 1989 | 48.8% | 100 |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 99 |
| 1987 | 47.7% | 99 |
| 1986 | 47.2% | 99 |
| 1985 | 46.7% | 99 |
| 1984 | 46.2% | 100 |
| 1983 | 45.6% | 100 |
| 1982 | 45.1% | 100 |
| 1981 | 44.6% | 99 |
| 1980 | 44.1% | 98 |
| 1979 | 43.6% | 99 |
| 1978 | 43.1% | 99 |
| 1977 | 42.6% | 98 |
| 1976 | 42.1% | 99 |
| 1975 | 41.6% | 99 |
| 1974 | 41% | 97 |
| 1973 | 40.5% | 98 |
| 1972 | 40% | 98 |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 97 |
| 1970 | 39.4% | 94 |
| 1969 | 39.3% | 89 |
| 1968 | 39.2% | 88 |
| 1967 | 39.1% | 84 |
| 1966 | 39% | 82 |
| 1965 | 38.9% | 78 |
| 1964 | 38.8% | 78 |
| 1963 | 38.7% | 76 |
| 1962 | 38.6% | 73 |
| 1961 | 38.5% | 73 |
| 1960 | 38.4% | 72 |
Densely populated cities
|
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
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
El Salvador topic pages:
Population density comparisons
