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Population density: El Salvador vs Sierra Leone compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 323 people in Sierra Leone. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 89,354 sq ft in Sierra Leone. El Salvador and Sierra Leone rank 33rd and 77th 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 0.11% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Sierra Leone, making the population density in El Salvador 147.4% higher than in Sierra Leone.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Sierra Leone

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Sierra Leone
2026 799 323
2025 796 317
2024 792 310
2023 789 304
2022 785 297
2021 782 290.5
2020 779 283.9
2019 778 277.4
2018 777 271.1
2017 777 264.8
2016 775 258.5
2015 773 252.5
2014 770 246.7
2013 767 240.9
2012 764 235.1
2011 761 229.2
2010 759 223.3
2009 756 217.3
2008 754 211.5
2007 751 206.3
2006 750 201.8
2005 751 197.4
2004 751 192.2
2003 750 185.8
2002 748 178.4
2001 746 168.4
2000 743 158.7
1999 739 154.9
1998 735 154.1
1997 731 152.6
1996 726 150.7
1995 720 150
1994 714 149.7
1993 707 149.2
1992 698 149.5
1991 687 152.4
1990 675 150.6
1989 662 144.8
1988 649 141.2
1987 637 137.4
1986 624 133.8
1985 612 130.6
1984 600 127.7
1983 588 124.9
1982 578 122.3
1981 571 119.8
1980 568 117.4
1979 560 115.1
1978 549 112.9
1977 538 110.7
1976 526 108.7
1975 512 106.7
1974 501 104.8
1973 489 102.9
1972 478 101
1971 467 99.2
1970 456 97.3
1969 444 95.5
1968 432 93.7
1967 421 91.9
1966 409 90.2
1965 397 88.6
1964 387 87
1963 376 85.5
1962 366 84
1961 357 82.7

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/sierra-leone | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 60% growth in Sierra Leone.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Sierra Leone was 95th in 2006 and ranks 77th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Sierra Leone
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Sierra Leone
2024 75.1% 45.4%
2023 74.6% 44.8%
2022 74.1% 44.3%
2021 73.7% 43.7%
2020 73.1% 43.2%
2019 72.4% 42.7%
2018 71.8% 42.2%
2017 71.1% 41.7%
2016 70.4% 41.2%
2015 69.7% 40.8%
2014 68.9% 40.3%
2013 68.1% 39.9%
2012 67.2% 39.5%
2011 66.3% 39%
2010 65.4% 38.6%
2009 64.5% 38.2%
2008 63.6% 37.9%
2007 62.8% 37.5%
2006 61.9% 37.2%
2005 61% 36.8%
2004 60.1% 36.5%
2003 59.2% 36.3%
2002 58.3% 36%
2001 57.5% 35.8%
2000 56.6% 35.5%
1999 55.7% 35.3%
1998 54.8% 35.1%
1997 54% 34.9%
1996 53.2% 34.7%
1995 52.4% 34.5%
1994 51.7% 34.3%
1993 50.9% 34.1%
1992 50.3% 33.9%
1991 49.6% 33.7%
1990 49% 33.5%
1989 48.3% 33.2%
1988 47.7% 33%
1987 47% 32.7%
1986 46.4% 32.4%
1985 45.7% 32.1%
1984 45.1% 31.8%
1983 44.5% 31.4%
1982 43.9% 31%
1981 43.4% 30.6%
1980 42.8% 30.2%
1979 42.3% 29.8%
1978 41.8% 29.3%
1977 41.4% 28.8%
1976 41% 28.3%
1975 40.6% 27.8%
1974 40.2% 27.2%
1973 40% 26.6%
1972 39.7% 25.9%
1971 39.5% 25.2%
1970 39.4% 24.4%
1969 39.3% 23.5%
1968 39.2% 22.7%
1967 39.1% 21.9%
1966 39% 21.1%
1965 38.9% 20.3%
1964 38.8% 19.7%
1963 38.7% 19%
1962 38.6% 18.5%
1961 38.5% 18%
1960 38.4% 17.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 36.5% to 45.4% in Sierra Leone.

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
Sierra Leone
City Population
Freetown 951K
Bo 234K
Kenema 188K

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/sierra-leone | 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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2013–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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