El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 152.8 people in Nicaragua. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 187,291 sq ft in Nicaragua. El Salvador and Nicaragua rank 33rd and 131st 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 0.09% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for Nicaragua, making the population density in El Salvador 423% higher than in Nicaragua.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
El Salvador
|
Nicaragua
|
|
| 2026 | 799 | 152.8 |
| 2025 | 796 | 150.8 |
| 2024 | 792 | 148.9 |
| 2023 | 789 | 146.9 |
| 2022 | 785 | 144.9 |
| 2021 | 782 | 143 |
| 2020 | 779 | 141.3 |
| 2019 | 778 | 139.5 |
| 2018 | 777 | 137.7 |
| 2017 | 777 | 135.9 |
| 2016 | 775 | 134.1 |
| 2015 | 773 | 132.3 |
| 2014 | 770 | 130.6 |
| 2013 | 767 | 128.8 |
| 2012 | 764 | 127 |
| 2011 | 761 | 125.2 |
| 2010 | 759 | 123.5 |
| 2009 | 756 | 121.7 |
| 2008 | 754 | 120 |
| 2007 | 751 | 118.3 |
| 2006 | 750 | 116.6 |
| 2005 | 751 | 115 |
| 2004 | 751 | 113.5 |
| 2003 | 750 | 112.2 |
| 2002 | 748 | 110.8 |
| 2001 | 746 | 109.5 |
| 2000 | 743 | 108.1 |
| 1999 | 739 | 106.6 |
| 1998 | 735 | 105.1 |
| 1997 | 731 | 103.5 |
| 1996 | 726 | 101.8 |
| 1995 | 720 | 99.9 |
| 1994 | 714 | 97.9 |
| 1993 | 707 | 95.9 |
| 1992 | 698 | 93.8 |
| 1991 | 687 | 91.7 |
| 1990 | 675 | 89.6 |
| 1989 | 662 | 87.5 |
| 1988 | 649 | 85.5 |
| 1987 | 637 | 83.6 |
| 1986 | 624 | 81.7 |
| 1985 | 612 | 79.8 |
| 1984 | 600 | 77.9 |
| 1983 | 588 | 76 |
| 1982 | 578 | 74 |
| 1981 | 571 | 72 |
| 1980 | 568 | 70 |
| 1979 | 560 | 68.1 |
| 1978 | 549 | 66.3 |
| 1977 | 538 | 64.4 |
| 1976 | 526 | 62.5 |
| 1975 | 512 | 60.6 |
| 1974 | 501 | 58.8 |
| 1973 | 489 | 57 |
| 1972 | 478 | 55.4 |
| 1971 | 467 | 53.8 |
| 1970 | 456 | 52.1 |
| 1969 | 444 | 50.5 |
| 1968 | 432 | 49 |
| 1967 | 421 | 47.5 |
| 1966 | 409 | 46 |
| 1965 | 397 | 44.6 |
| 1964 | 387 | 43.3 |
| 1963 | 376 | 42 |
| 1962 | 366 | 40.7 |
| 1961 | 357 | 39.5 |
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/nicaragua | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 31% growth in Nicaragua.
In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Nicaragua was 131st in 2006 and still ranks 131st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
El Salvador
|
Nicaragua
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 799 ppl/mi² | 152.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 33/197 | 131/197 |
| Population |
6399793
|
7124343
|
| Land area | 8,000 sq mi | 46,464 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 35,188 sq ft | 187,291 sq ft |
| Rural population | 24.9% | 40.7% |
| Urban population | 75.1% | 59.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
El Salvador
|
Nicaragua
|
|
| 2024 | 75.1% | 59.3% |
| 2023 | 74.6% | 59.1% |
| 2022 | 74.1% | 59% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | 58.9% |
| 2020 | 73.1% | 58.7% |
| 2019 | 72.4% | 58.5% |
| 2018 | 71.8% | 58.4% |
| 2017 | 71.1% | 58.2% |
| 2016 | 70.4% | 58% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | 57.8% |
| 2014 | 68.9% | 57.6% |
| 2013 | 68.1% | 57.4% |
| 2012 | 67.2% | 57.2% |
| 2011 | 66.3% | 57% |
| 2010 | 65.4% | 56.8% |
| 2009 | 64.5% | 56.7% |
| 2008 | 63.6% | 56.5% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 56.3% |
| 2006 | 61.9% | 56.1% |
| 2005 | 61% | 55.9% |
| 2004 | 60.1% | 55.8% |
| 2003 | 59.2% | 55.6% |
| 2002 | 58.3% | 55.5% |
| 2001 | 57.5% | 55.4% |
| 2000 | 56.6% | 55.2% |
| 1999 | 55.7% | 55.1% |
| 1998 | 54.8% | 54.9% |
| 1997 | 54% | 54.8% |
| 1996 | 53.2% | 54.6% |
| 1995 | 52.4% | 54.4% |
| 1994 | 51.7% | 54.3% |
| 1993 | 50.9% | 54.1% |
| 1992 | 50.3% | 53.9% |
| 1991 | 49.6% | 53.7% |
| 1990 | 49% | 53.5% |
| 1989 | 48.3% | 53.3% |
| 1988 | 47.7% | 53.1% |
| 1987 | 47% | 52.9% |
| 1986 | 46.4% | 52.7% |
| 1985 | 45.7% | 52.4% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 52.2% |
| 1983 | 44.5% | 51.9% |
| 1982 | 43.9% | 51.7% |
| 1981 | 43.4% | 51.4% |
| 1980 | 42.8% | 51.1% |
| 1979 | 42.3% | 50.8% |
| 1978 | 41.8% | 50.5% |
| 1977 | 41.4% | 50.2% |
| 1976 | 41% | 49.8% |
| 1975 | 40.6% | 49.5% |
| 1974 | 40.2% | 49.1% |
| 1973 | 40% | 48.7% |
| 1972 | 39.7% | 48.3% |
| 1971 | 39.5% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 39.4% | 47.3% |
| 1969 | 39.3% | 46.5% |
| 1968 | 39.2% | 45.6% |
| 1967 | 39.1% | 44.6% |
| 1966 | 39% | 43.6% |
| 1965 | 38.9% | 42.6% |
| 1964 | 38.8% | 41.7% |
| 1963 | 38.7% | 41% |
| 1962 | 38.6% | 40.4% |
| 1961 | 38.5% | 39.8% |
| 1960 | 38.4% | 39.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/el-salvador/nicaragua | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 55.8% to 59.3% in Nicaragua.
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 |
|
Nicaragua
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Managua | 937K |
| Leon | 174K |
| Masaya | 140K |
| Matagalpa | 133K |
| Chinandega | 122K |
| Esteli | 112K |
| Granada | 105K |
| Jinotega | 99.4K |
| Juigalpa | 51.8K |
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/nicaragua | 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)
- Wikidata (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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