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Population density: El Salvador vs Somalia compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 83.9 people in Somalia. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. El Salvador and Somalia rank 33rd and 152nd 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 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, making the population density in El Salvador 852% higher than in Somalia.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Somalia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Somalia
2026 799 83.9
2025 796 81.2
2024 792 78.5
2023 789 75.8
2022 785 73.5
2021 782 71.3
2020 779 68.7
2019 778 66.2
2018 777 63.8
2017 777 61.6
2016 775 59.2
2015 773 57
2014 770 55.1
2013 767 53.1
2012 764 51.4
2011 761 51
2010 759 50.6
2009 756 49.4
2008 754 48.2
2007 751 46.7
2006 750 45.3
2005 751 43.9
2004 751 42.4
2003 750 40.9
2002 748 39.4
2001 746 38
2000 743 36.5
1999 739 35.1
1998 735 33.7
1997 731 32.3
1996 726 31.2
1995 720 30.1
1994 714 29
1993 707 27.6
1992 698 26.8
1991 687 28.1
1990 675 29.2
1989 662 29.4
1988 649 29.9
1987 637 29.8
1986 624 28.8
1985 612 27.6
1984 600 26.5
1983 588 25.6
1982 578 24.8
1981 571 24.7
1980 568 24.5
1979 560 22.5
1978 549 19.9
1977 538 18.5
1976 526 18
1975 512 17.6
1974 501 17.1
1973 489 16.7
1972 478 16.3
1971 467 15.8
1970 456 15.4
1969 444 15
1968 432 14.6
1967 421 14.3
1966 409 13.9
1965 397 13.5
1964 387 13.2
1963 376 12.8
1962 366 12.5
1961 357 12.2

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/somalia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 85.2% growth in Somalia.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Somalia was 162nd in 2006 and ranks 152nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Somalia
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Somalia
2024 75.1% 54.6%
2023 74.6% 54.1%
2022 74.1% 53.5%
2021 73.7% 52.9%
2020 73.1% 52.3%
2019 72.4% 51.6%
2018 71.8% 51%
2017 71.1% 48.4%
2016 70.4% 45.9%
2015 69.7% 43.9%
2014 68.9% 42.4%
2013 68.1% 41.3%
2012 67.2% 40.3%
2011 66.3% 39.4%
2010 65.4% 38.6%
2009 64.5% 37.8%
2008 63.6% 37.2%
2007 62.8% 36.6%
2006 61.9% 36%
2005 61% 35.5%
2004 60.1% 35%
2003 59.2% 34.5%
2002 58.3% 34%
2001 57.5% 33.5%
2000 56.6% 33.1%
1999 55.7% 32.6%
1998 54.8% 32.2%
1997 54% 31.8%
1996 53.2% 31.4%
1995 52.4% 31.1%
1994 51.7% 30.7%
1993 50.9% 30.4%
1992 50.3% 30%
1991 49.6% 29.7%
1990 49% 29.4%
1989 48.3% 29.1%
1988 47.7% 28.8%
1987 47% 28.5%
1986 46.4% 28.2%
1985 45.7% 28%
1984 45.1% 27.7%
1983 44.5% 27.5%
1982 43.9% 27.3%
1981 43.4% 27.1%
1980 42.8% 26.8%
1979 42.3% 26.6%
1978 41.8% 26.4%
1977 41.4% 26.1%
1976 41% 25.8%
1975 40.6% 25.5%
1974 40.2% 25.2%
1973 40% 24.8%
1972 39.7% 24.3%
1971 39.5% 23.8%
1970 39.4% 23.2%
1969 39.3% 22.7%
1968 39.2% 22.1%
1967 39.1% 21.5%
1966 39% 20.9%
1965 38.9% 20.3%
1964 38.8% 19.7%
1963 38.7% 19.2%
1962 38.6% 18.7%
1961 38.5% 18.2%
1960 38.4% 17.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 35% to 54.6% in Somalia.

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
Somalia
City Population
Mogadishu 2.12M
Hargeisa 1.23M
Baidoa 1.2M
Borama 68.1K

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/somalia | 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 (2013–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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