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Population density: El Salvador vs Peru compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 70.7 people in Peru. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 404,290 sq ft in Peru. El Salvador and Peru rank 33rd and 161st 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 0.42% of the population and 0.86% of the land area for Peru, making the population density in El Salvador 1,030% higher than in Peru.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Peru

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Peru
2026 799 70.7
2025 796 70
2024 792 69.2
2023 789 68.5
2022 785 67.7
2021 782 67.1
2020 779 66.4
2019 778 65.7
2018 777 64.5
2017 777 63.4
2016 775 62.5
2015 773 61.6
2014 770 60.9
2013 767 60.3
2012 764 59.8
2011 761 59.3
2010 759 58.9
2009 756 58.5
2008 754 58.1
2007 751 57.7
2006 750 57.3
2005 751 56.9
2004 751 56.4
2003 750 55.8
2002 748 55.2
2001 746 54.6
2000 743 53.8
1999 739 53
1998 735 52.1
1997 731 51.1
1996 726 50.2
1995 720 49.3
1994 714 48.3
1993 707 47.4
1992 698 46.4
1991 687 45.5
1990 675 44.5
1989 662 43.6
1988 649 42.6
1987 637 41.6
1986 624 40.7
1985 612 39.8
1984 600 38.8
1983 588 37.9
1982 578 36.9
1981 571 36
1980 568 35.1
1979 560 34.3
1978 549 33.4
1977 538 32.6
1976 526 31.8
1975 512 31
1974 501 30.3
1973 489 29.5
1972 478 28.8
1971 467 28
1970 456 27.3
1969 444 26.6
1968 432 25.9
1967 421 25.2
1966 409 24.5
1965 397 23.8
1964 387 23.1
1963 376 22.5
1962 366 21.8
1961 357 21.2

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/peru | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 23.4% growth in Peru.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Peru was 157th in 2006 and ranks 161st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Peru
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Peru
2024 75.1% 85.2%
2023 74.6% 84.8%
2022 74.1% 84.4%
2021 73.7% 83.9%
2020 73.1% 83.5%
2019 72.4% 83.1%
2018 71.8% 82.7%
2017 71.1% 82.2%
2016 70.4% 81.4%
2015 69.7% 80.7%
2014 68.9% 80%
2013 68.1% 79.3%
2012 67.2% 78.6%
2011 66.3% 78%
2010 65.4% 77.4%
2009 64.5% 76.8%
2008 63.6% 76.3%
2007 62.8% 75.8%
2006 61.9% 75.3%
2005 61% 74.8%
2004 60.1% 74.4%
2003 59.2% 74%
2002 58.3% 73.6%
2001 57.5% 73.2%
2000 56.6% 72.8%
1999 55.7% 72.4%
1998 54.8% 72%
1997 54% 71.6%
1996 53.2% 71.3%
1995 52.4% 70.9%
1994 51.7% 70.5%
1993 50.9% 70.1%
1992 50.3% 69.7%
1991 49.6% 69.3%
1990 49% 68.9%
1989 48.3% 68.6%
1988 47.7% 68.2%
1987 47% 67.8%
1986 46.4% 67.4%
1985 45.7% 67%
1984 45.1% 66.6%
1983 44.5% 66.2%
1982 43.9% 65.7%
1981 43.4% 65.2%
1980 42.8% 64.7%
1979 42.3% 64.2%
1978 41.8% 63.6%
1977 41.4% 63%
1976 41% 62.4%
1975 40.6% 61.8%
1974 40.2% 61.1%
1973 40% 60.3%
1972 39.7% 59.6%
1971 39.5% 58.7%
1970 39.4% 57.7%
1969 39.3% 56.6%
1968 39.2% 55.4%
1967 39.1% 54.1%
1966 39% 52.8%
1965 38.9% 51.6%
1964 38.8% 50.4%
1963 38.7% 49.3%
1962 38.6% 48.3%
1961 38.5% 47.4%
1960 38.4% 46.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 74.4% to 85.2% in Peru.

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
Peru
City Population
Lima 9.94M
Arequipa 1.01M
Trujillo 920K
Chiclayo 553K
Callao 537K
Piura 473K
Cusco 428K
Chimbote 395K
Huancayo 378K
Iquitos 378K

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/peru | 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 (2017–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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