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Population density: El Salvador vs Netherlands compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 1,402 people in the Netherlands. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 22,360 sq ft in the Netherlands. El Salvador and the Netherlands rank 33rd and 17th 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 0.22% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for the Netherlands, making the population density in El Salvador 43% lower than in the Netherlands.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Netherlands

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Netherlands
2026 799 1,402
2025 796 1,394
2024 792 1,384
2023 789 1,375
2022 785 1,362
2021 782 1,349
2020 779 1,342
2019 778 1,334
2018 777 1,326
2017 777 1,318
2016 775 1,310
2015 773 1,303
2014 770 1,297
2013 767 1,292
2012 764 1,287
2011 761 1,282
2010 759 1,276
2009 756 1,269
2008 754 1,262
2007 751 1,257
2006 750 1,254
2005 751 1,252
2004 751 1,249
2003 750 1,245
2002 748 1,239
2001 746 1,231
2000 743 1,222
1999 739 1,213
1998 735 1,205
1997 731 1,198
1996 726 1,191
1995 720 1,186
1994 714 1,180
1993 707 1,173
1992 698 1,165
1991 687 1,156
1990 675 1,147
1989 662 1,139
1988 649 1,132
1987 637 1,125
1986 624 1,118
1985 612 1,112
1984 600 1,107
1983 588 1,102
1982 578 1,098
1981 571 1,093
1980 568 1,086
1979 560 1,077
1978 549 1,070
1977 538 1,063
1976 526 1,057
1975 512 1,048
1974 501 1,039
1973 489 1,031
1972 478 1,023
1971 467 1,012
1970 456 1,000
1969 444 988
1968 432 977
1967 421 967
1966 409 956
1965 397 943
1964 387 930
1963 376 918
1962 366 906
1961 357 893

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/netherlands | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 11.8% growth in the Netherlands.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. The Netherlands was 15th in 2006 and ranks 17th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Netherlands
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Netherlands
2024 75.1% 95.6%
2023 74.6% 95.3%
2022 74.1% 95%
2021 73.7% 94.6%
2020 73.1% 94.3%
2019 72.4% 93.9%
2018 71.8% 92.6%
2017 71.1% 91.1%
2016 70.4% 90.6%
2015 69.7% 90.3%
2014 68.9% 89.8%
2013 68.1% 89.2%
2012 67.2% 88.5%
2011 66.3% 88%
2010 65.4% 87.4%
2009 64.5% 86.2%
2008 63.6% 85.6%
2007 62.8% 85.4%
2006 61.9% 84.7%
2005 61% 83.5%
2004 60.1% 82.3%
2003 59.2% 81.3%
2002 58.3% 80.8%
2001 57.5% 80.2%
2000 56.6% 78.5%
1999 55.7% 77.1%
1998 54.8% 76.8%
1997 54% 75.6%
1996 53.2% 72.4%
1995 52.4% 70.7%
1994 51.7% 70.4%
1993 50.9% 69.8%
1992 50.3% 69.3%
1991 49.6% 69.2%
1990 49% 69%
1989 48.3% 68.8%
1988 47.7% 68.4%
1987 47% 68.2%
1986 46.4% 68%
1985 45.7% 67.6%
1984 45.1% 67.4%
1983 44.5% 66.9%
1982 43.9% 66.5%
1981 43.4% 65.7%
1980 42.8% 65%
1979 42.3% 64.8%
1978 41.8% 64.6%
1977 41.4% 64.6%
1976 41% 64.5%
1975 40.6% 64.4%
1974 40.2% 64.2%
1973 40% 63.5%
1972 39.7% 63.1%
1971 39.5% 62.8%
1970 39.4% 62.1%
1969 39.3% 61.8%
1968 39.2% 61.8%
1967 39.1% 61.6%
1966 39% 61.3%
1965 38.9% 61.2%
1964 38.8% 60.9%
1963 38.7% 60.3%
1962 38.6% 60.3%
1961 38.5% 60.1%
1960 38.4% 59.9%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands.

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
Netherlands
City Population
Amsterdam 921K
Rotterdam 664K
The Hague 548K
Utrecht 359K
Eindhoven 244K
Groningen 238K
Tilburg 228K
Almere 215K
Breda 188K
Nijmegen 177K

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/netherlands | 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 (2021–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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