Skip to content

Population density: El Salvador vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. El Salvador and Rwanda rank 33rd and 13th 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 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in El Salvador 48.9% lower than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Rwanda
2026 799 1,563
2025 796 1,529
2024 792 1,497
2023 789 1,465
2022 785 1,433
2021 782 1,402
2020 779 1,372
2019 778 1,341
2018 777 1,311
2017 777 1,281
2016 775 1,251
2015 773 1,222
2014 770 1,193
2013 767 1,165
2012 764 1,137
2011 761 1,110
2010 759 1,083
2009 756 1,056
2008 754 1,029
2007 751 1,003
2006 750 976
2005 751 951
2004 751 926
2003 750 901
2002 748 882
2001 746 870
2000 743 862
1999 739 855
1998 735 848
1997 731 814
1996 726 704
1995 720 596
1994 714 713
1993 707 838
1992 698 807
1991 687 790
1990 675 774
1989 662 754
1988 649 732
1987 637 709
1986 624 686
1985 612 663
1984 600 641
1983 588 620
1982 578 600
1981 571 580
1980 568 562
1979 560 545
1978 549 529
1977 538 513
1976 526 498
1975 512 484
1974 501 470
1973 489 456
1972 478 443
1971 467 430
1970 456 418
1969 444 405
1968 432 393
1967 421 381
1966 409 370
1965 397 359
1964 387 350
1963 376 342
1962 366 334
1961 357 326

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/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Rwanda
2024 75.1% 29.9%
2023 74.6% 28.9%
2022 74.1% 27.8%
2021 73.7% 26.1%
2020 73.1% 24.5%
2019 72.4% 23%
2018 71.8% 21.5%
2017 71.1% 20.2%
2016 70.4% 19.1%
2015 69.7% 18.2%
2014 68.9% 17.5%
2013 68.1% 17.1%
2012 67.2% 16.9%
2011 66.3% 16.9%
2010 65.4% 16.9%
2009 64.5% 16.9%
2008 63.6% 16.9%
2007 62.8% 16.9%
2006 61.9% 16.9%
2005 61% 16.9%
2004 60.1% 16.9%
2003 59.2% 16.9%
2002 58.3% 16.9%
2001 57.5% 16.5%
2000 56.6% 15.8%
1999 55.7% 14.7%
1998 54.8% 13.3%
1997 54% 11.8%
1996 53.2% 10.3%
1995 52.4% 8.82%
1994 51.7% 7.48%
1993 50.9% 6.4%
1992 50.3% 5.66%
1991 49.6% 5.36%
1990 49% 5.27%
1989 48.3% 5.2%
1988 47.7% 5.14%
1987 47% 5.09%
1986 46.4% 5.05%
1985 45.7% 5.01%
1984 45.1% 4.98%
1983 44.5% 4.95%
1982 43.9% 4.91%
1981 43.4% 4.87%
1980 42.8% 4.82%
1979 42.3% 4.75%
1978 41.8% 4.67%
1977 41.4% 4.55%
1976 41% 4.39%
1975 40.6% 4.19%
1974 40.2% 3.97%
1973 40% 3.75%
1972 39.7% 3.55%
1971 39.5% 3.37%
1970 39.4% 3.24%
1969 39.3% 3.14%
1968 39.2% 3.06%
1967 39.1% 3%
1966 39% 2.94%
1965 38.9% 2.88%
1964 38.8% 2.83%
1963 38.7% 2.78%
1962 38.6% 2.72%
1961 38.5% 2.67%
1960 38.4% 2.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

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
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

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/rwanda | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.