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Population density: El Salvador vs Iraq compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 286.5 people in Iraq. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 102,181 sq ft in Iraq. El Salvador and Iraq rank 33rd and 86th by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.57% of the population and 0.29% of the land area for Iraq, making the population density in El Salvador 178.9% higher than in Iraq.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Iraq

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Iraq
2026 799 286.5
2025 796 280.5
2024 792 274.7
2023 789 268.9
2022 785 262.9
2021 782 257
2020 779 251.3
2019 778 245.7
2018 777 240.2
2017 777 234.7
2016 775 229.5
2015 773 224.1
2014 770 218.1
2013 767 210.5
2012 764 200.7
2011 761 191.8
2010 759 185.1
2009 756 179.2
2008 754 171.6
2007 751 168.1
2006 750 169.5
2005 751 168.2
2004 751 163.3
2003 750 158.7
2002 748 154
2001 746 149.2
2000 743 144.6
1999 739 140
1998 735 135.5
1997 731 131.3
1996 726 127.3
1995 720 123.3
1994 714 119.3
1993 707 113.7
1992 698 108.4
1991 687 105.2
1990 675 104.1
1989 662 102.8
1988 649 100.1
1987 637 97.8
1986 624 95.2
1985 612 92.9
1984 600 90.7
1983 588 87.9
1982 578 85.3
1981 571 82.9
1980 568 80.5
1979 560 78
1978 549 75.5
1977 538 73
1976 526 70.6
1975 512 68.4
1974 501 66.1
1973 489 63.9
1972 478 61.8
1971 467 59.7
1970 456 57.7
1969 444 55.7
1968 432 53.8
1967 421 52
1966 409 50.2
1965 397 48.6
1964 387 47
1963 376 45.4
1962 366 43.9
1961 357 42.6

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/iraq | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 69.1% growth in Iraq.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Iraq was 110th in 2006 and ranks 86th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Iraq
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Iraq
2024 75.1% 69.9%
2023 74.6% 69.9%
2022 74.1% 69.9%
2021 73.7% 69.9%
2020 73.1% 69.9%
2019 72.4% 69.9%
2018 71.8% 69.9%
2017 71.1% 69.9%
2016 70.4% 69.9%
2015 69.7% 69.9%
2014 68.9% 69.7%
2013 68.1% 69.4%
2012 67.2% 69.2%
2011 66.3% 69.1%
2010 65.4% 69.1%
2009 64.5% 69%
2008 63.6% 68.9%
2007 62.8% 68.7%
2006 61.9% 68.6%
2005 61% 68.4%
2004 60.1% 68.2%
2003 59.2% 68.1%
2002 58.3% 67.9%
2001 57.5% 67.8%
2000 56.6% 67.6%
1999 55.7% 67.5%
1998 54.8% 67.5%
1997 54% 67.5%
1996 53.2% 67.6%
1995 52.4% 67.8%
1994 51.7% 68.2%
1993 50.9% 68.6%
1992 50.3% 69%
1991 49.6% 69.4%
1990 49% 69.7%
1989 48.3% 70%
1988 47.7% 70.2%
1987 47% 70.2%
1986 46.4% 70%
1985 45.7% 69.7%
1984 45.1% 69.1%
1983 44.5% 68.5%
1982 43.9% 67.7%
1981 43.4% 66.9%
1980 42.8% 66%
1979 42.3% 65.1%
1978 41.8% 64.3%
1977 41.4% 63.5%
1976 41% 62.7%
1975 40.6% 61.8%
1974 40.2% 60.9%
1973 40% 60%
1972 39.7% 59%
1971 39.5% 58%
1970 39.4% 57%
1969 39.3% 55.9%
1968 39.2% 54.8%
1967 39.1% 53.7%
1966 39% 52.5%
1965 38.9% 51.4%
1964 38.8% 50%
1963 38.7% 48.6%
1962 38.6% 47%
1961 38.5% 45.5%
1960 38.4% 44%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 68.2% to 69.9% in Iraq.

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
Iraq
City Population
Baghdad 8.13M
Mosul 1.79M
Basra 1.33M
Kirkuk 975K
Sulaymaniyah 878K
Ramadi 875K
Erbil 846K
Najaf 725K
Karbala 690K
Nasiriyah 542K

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/el-salvador/iraq | 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 (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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