El Salvador has a population density of 792 people per square mile compared to 445 people in Guatemala. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 63,678 sq ft in Guatemala. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, El Salvador and Guatemala are ranked 33rd and 60th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. El Salvador has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.01% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.23% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for Guatemala, hence the population density in El Salvador is 78.1% higher than in Guatemala.
Population density comparison
El Salvador
|
Guatemala
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 792 ppl/mi² | 445 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 33/197 | 60/197 |
| Population |
6386184
|
18912872
|
| Land area | 8,000 sq mi | 41,375 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 35,188 sq ft | 62,666 sq ft |
| Rural population | 24% | 46.5% |
| Urban population | 76% | 53.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 6.59% |
El Salvador vs Guatemala:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in El Salvador increased by 5.55%, compared to a 43.7% growth in Guatemala.
In 2004, El Salvador ranked 27th for population density and is in 33rd place now. Guatemala was 64th in 2004 and ranks 60th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
El Salvador
|
Guatemala
|
|
| 2024 | 792 | 445 |
| 2023 | 789 | 438 |
| 2022 | 785 | 431 |
| 2021 | 782 | 425 |
| 2020 | 779 | 420 |
| 2019 | 778 | 413 |
| 2018 | 777 | 407 |
| 2017 | 777 | 400 |
| 2016 | 775 | 393 |
| 2015 | 773 | 386 |
| 2014 | 770 | 379 |
| 2013 | 767 | 372 |
| 2012 | 764 | 365 |
| 2011 | 761 | 358 |
| 2010 | 759 | 350 |
| 2009 | 756 | 344 |
| 2008 | 754 | 337 |
| 2007 | 751 | 330 |
| 2006 | 750 | 323 |
| 2005 | 751 | 316 |
| 2004 | 751 | 310 |
| 2003 | 750 | 303 |
| 2002 | 748 | 296 |
| 2001 | 746 | 289.3 |
| 2000 | 743 | 282.7 |
| 1999 | 739 | 276.1 |
| 1998 | 735 | 269.2 |
| 1997 | 731 | 262.4 |
| 1996 | 726 | 255.8 |
| 1995 | 720 | 249.3 |
| 1994 | 714 | 242.8 |
| 1993 | 707 | 236.4 |
| 1992 | 698 | 230.1 |
| 1991 | 687 | 224.1 |
| 1990 | 675 | 218.1 |
| 1989 | 662 | 212.1 |
| 1988 | 649 | 206.2 |
| 1987 | 637 | 200.5 |
| 1986 | 624 | 195.1 |
| 1985 | 612 | 189.7 |
| 1984 | 600 | 184.4 |
| 1983 | 588 | 179.3 |
| 1982 | 578 | 175 |
| 1981 | 571 | 171 |
| 1980 | 568 | 166.8 |
| 1979 | 560 | 162.6 |
| 1978 | 549 | 158.6 |
| 1977 | 538 | 154.7 |
| 1976 | 526 | 151.4 |
| 1975 | 512 | 148.1 |
| 1974 | 501 | 144.6 |
| 1973 | 489 | 140.9 |
| 1972 | 478 | 137.4 |
| 1971 | 467 | 133.9 |
| 1970 | 456 | 130.4 |
| 1969 | 444 | 127.1 |
| 1968 | 432 | 123.7 |
| 1967 | 421 | 120.3 |
| 1966 | 409 | 117 |
| 1965 | 397 | 113.7 |
| 1964 | 387 | 110.5 |
| 1963 | 376 | 107.3 |
| 1962 | 366 | 104.2 |
| 1961 | 357 | 101.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
El Salvador
|
Guatemala
|
|
| 2024 | 76% | 53.5% |
| 2023 | 75.4% | 53.1% |
| 2022 | 74.8% | 52.7% |
| 2021 | 74.1% | 52.2% |
| 2020 | 73.4% | 51.8% |
| 2019 | 72.7% | 51.4% |
| 2018 | 72% | 51.1% |
| 2017 | 71.3% | 50.7% |
| 2016 | 70.5% | 50.3% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | 50% |
| 2014 | 68.9% | 49.6% |
| 2013 | 68% | 49.3% |
| 2012 | 67.2% | 49% |
| 2011 | 66.3% | 48.7% |
| 2010 | 65.5% | 48.4% |
| 2009 | 64.6% | 48.1% |
| 2008 | 63.7% | 47.8% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 47.5% |
| 2006 | 62.2% | 47.2% |
| 2005 | 61.6% | 46.9% |
| 2004 | 61.1% | 46.6% |
| 2003 | 60.6% | 46.3% |
| 2002 | 60% | 46% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 45.7% |
| 2000 | 58.9% | 45.3% |
| 1999 | 58.4% | 45% |
| 1998 | 57.8% | 44.7% |
| 1997 | 56.5% | 44.3% |
| 1996 | 55.3% | 44% |
| 1995 | 54% | 43.7% |
| 1994 | 52.7% | 43.3% |
| 1993 | 51.4% | 43% |
| 1992 | 50.3% | 42.7% |
| 1991 | 49.8% | 42.3% |
| 1990 | 49.3% | 42% |
| 1989 | 48.8% | 41.7% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 41.3% |
| 1987 | 47.7% | 41% |
| 1986 | 47.2% | 40.7% |
| 1985 | 46.7% | 40.3% |
| 1984 | 46.2% | 40% |
| 1983 | 45.6% | 39.7% |
| 1982 | 45.1% | 39.4% |
| 1981 | 44.6% | 39% |
| 1980 | 44.1% | 38.7% |
| 1979 | 43.6% | 38.4% |
| 1978 | 43.1% | 38.1% |
| 1977 | 42.6% | 37.8% |
| 1976 | 42.1% | 37.4% |
| 1975 | 41.6% | 37.1% |
| 1974 | 41% | 36.8% |
| 1973 | 40.5% | 36.5% |
| 1972 | 40% | 36.2% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 35.9% |
| 1970 | 39.4% | 35.5% |
| 1969 | 39.3% | 35.2% |
| 1968 | 39.2% | 34.9% |
| 1967 | 39.1% | 34.6% |
| 1966 | 39% | 34.3% |
| 1965 | 38.9% | 34% |
| 1964 | 38.8% | 33.7% |
| 1963 | 38.7% | 33.1% |
| 1962 | 38.6% | 32.4% |
| 1961 | 38.5% | 31.8% |
| 1960 | 38.4% | 31.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 61.1% to 76% in El Salvador and from 46.6% to 53.5% in Guatemala.
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 |
|
Guatemala
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Guatemala | 1.21M |
| Mixco | 528K |
| Coban | 229K |
| Quetzaltenango | 208K |
| Jalapa | 193K |
| San Miguel Petapa | 151K |
| Momostenango | 140K |
| Mazatenango | 83.8K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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