El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person and ranks 33rd out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
El Salvador has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.01% of the total land area of all countries.
El Salvador population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 799 | 33 |
| 2025 | 796 | 33 |
| 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 | 25 |
| 1998 | 735 | 25 |
| 1997 | 731 | 25 |
| 1996 | 726 | 23 |
| 1995 | 720 | 23 |
| 1994 | 714 | 22 |
| 1993 | 707 | 23 |
| 1992 | 698 | 23 |
| 1991 | 687 | 23 |
| 1990 | 675 | 24 |
| 1989 | 662 | 24 |
| 1988 | 649 | 24 |
| 1987 | 637 | 24 |
| 1986 | 624 | 24 |
| 1985 | 612 | 24 |
| 1984 | 600 | 25 |
| 1983 | 588 | 25 |
| 1982 | 578 | 27 |
| 1981 | 571 | 27 |
| 1980 | 568 | 25 |
| 1979 | 560 | 25 |
| 1978 | 549 | 26 |
| 1977 | 538 | 26 |
| 1976 | 526 | 26 |
| 1975 | 512 | 26 |
| 1974 | 501 | 25 |
| 1973 | 489 | 25 |
| 1972 | 478 | 26 |
| 1971 | 467 | 27 |
| 1970 | 456 | 27 |
| 1969 | 444 | 27 |
| 1968 | 432 | 28 |
| 1967 | 421 | 29 |
| 1966 | 409 | 29 |
| 1965 | 397 | 29 |
| 1964 | 387 | 31 |
| 1963 | 376 | 31 |
| 1962 | 366 | 31 |
| 1961 | 357 | 31 |
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/el-salvador | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in El Salvador has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 6.51%. El Salvador ranked 29th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 33rd today.
Density metrics
El Salvador
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 799 ppl/mi² | 33/197 |
| Population |
6399793
|
111/197 |
| Land area | 8,000 sq mi | 150/197 |
| Land area per capita | 35,188 sq ft | 165/197 |
| Rural population | 24.9% | 136/195 |
| Urban population | 75.1% | 60/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 128/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 75.1% | 60 |
| 2023 | 74.6% | 61 |
| 2022 | 74.1% | 61 |
| 2021 | 73.7% | 60 |
| 2020 | 73.1% | 63 |
| 2019 | 72.4% | 65 |
| 2018 | 71.8% | 65 |
| 2017 | 71.1% | 66 |
| 2016 | 70.4% | 67 |
| 2015 | 69.7% | 69 |
| 2014 | 68.9% | 71 |
| 2013 | 68.1% | 72 |
| 2012 | 67.2% | 75 |
| 2011 | 66.3% | 80 |
| 2010 | 65.4% | 80 |
| 2009 | 64.5% | 81 |
| 2008 | 63.6% | 83 |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 82 |
| 2006 | 61.9% | 83 |
| 2005 | 61% | 85 |
| 2004 | 60.1% | 87 |
| 2003 | 59.2% | 88 |
| 2002 | 58.3% | 87 |
| 2001 | 57.5% | 89 |
| 2000 | 56.6% | 90 |
| 1999 | 55.7% | 93 |
| 1998 | 54.8% | 95 |
| 1997 | 54% | 97 |
| 1996 | 53.2% | 99 |
| 1995 | 52.4% | 99 |
| 1994 | 51.7% | 100 |
| 1993 | 50.9% | 100 |
| 1992 | 50.3% | 101 |
| 1991 | 49.6% | 101 |
| 1990 | 49% | 100 |
| 1989 | 48.3% | 100 |
| 1988 | 47.7% | 102 |
| 1987 | 47% | 102 |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 101 |
| 1985 | 45.7% | 101 |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 101 |
| 1983 | 44.5% | 101 |
| 1982 | 43.9% | 102 |
| 1981 | 43.4% | 103 |
| 1980 | 42.8% | 103 |
| 1979 | 42.3% | 104 |
| 1978 | 41.8% | 104 |
| 1977 | 41.4% | 104 |
| 1976 | 41% | 103 |
| 1975 | 40.6% | 102 |
| 1974 | 40.2% | 102 |
| 1973 | 40% | 99 |
| 1972 | 39.7% | 99 |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 97 |
| 1970 | 39.4% | 94 |
| 1969 | 39.3% | 91 |
| 1968 | 39.2% | 89 |
| 1967 | 39.1% | 85 |
| 1966 | 39% | 83 |
| 1965 | 38.9% | 82 |
| 1964 | 38.8% | 81 |
| 1963 | 38.7% | 79 |
| 1962 | 38.6% | 79 |
| 1961 | 38.5% | 77 |
| 1960 | 38.4% | 76 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/el-salvador | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in El Salvador from 1960 to 2024: 38.4% lived in urban areas in 1960, 56.6% in 2000, and 75.1% in 2024.
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
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/el-salvador | CC BY
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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) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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