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Population density: El Salvador vs Zambia compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Zambia. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. El Salvador and Zambia rank 33rd and 157th 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, making the population density in El Salvador 918% higher than in Zambia.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Zambia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Zambia
2026 799 78.5
2025 796 76.4
2024 792 74.3
2023 789 72.2
2022 785 70.2
2021 782 68.3
2020 779 66.4
2019 778 64.5
2018 777 62.6
2017 777 60.8
2016 775 58.9
2015 773 57.1
2014 770 55.4
2013 767 53.7
2012 764 52
2011 761 50.3
2010 759 48.7
2009 756 47
2008 754 45.4
2007 751 43.8
2006 750 42.3
2005 751 40.8
2004 751 39.5
2003 750 38.3
2002 748 37.1
2001 746 36
2000 743 34.9
1999 739 33.9
1998 735 33
1997 731 32.2
1996 726 31.4
1995 720 30.6
1994 714 29.9
1993 707 29.2
1992 698 28.5
1991 687 27.8
1990 675 27.1
1989 662 26.4
1988 649 25.8
1987 637 25.1
1986 624 24.3
1985 612 23.6
1984 600 22.9
1983 588 22.2
1982 578 21.5
1981 571 20.8
1980 568 20.2
1979 560 19.6
1978 549 19
1977 538 18.5
1976 526 17.9
1975 512 17.4
1974 501 16.9
1973 489 16.4
1972 478 15.9
1971 467 15.5
1970 456 15.1
1969 444 14.6
1968 432 14.2
1967 421 13.7
1966 409 13.3
1965 397 12.9
1964 387 12.5
1963 376 12.1
1962 366 11.7
1961 357 11.3

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/zambia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 85.7% growth in Zambia.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Zambia was 164th in 2006 and ranks 157th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Zambia
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Zambia
2024 75.1% 45.5%
2023 74.6% 45%
2022 74.1% 44.6%
2021 73.7% 44.2%
2020 73.1% 43.9%
2019 72.4% 43.5%
2018 71.8% 43.1%
2017 71.1% 42.7%
2016 70.4% 42.3%
2015 69.7% 42%
2014 68.9% 41.6%
2013 68.1% 41.2%
2012 67.2% 40.8%
2011 66.3% 40.4%
2010 65.4% 40%
2009 64.5% 39.5%
2008 63.6% 39%
2007 62.8% 38.4%
2006 61.9% 37.8%
2005 61% 37.3%
2004 60.1% 36.8%
2003 59.2% 36.4%
2002 58.3% 36.1%
2001 57.5% 35.9%
2000 56.6% 35.9%
1999 55.7% 36.2%
1998 54.8% 36.7%
1997 54% 37.4%
1996 53.2% 38%
1995 52.4% 38.4%
1994 51.7% 38.7%
1993 50.9% 38.9%
1992 50.3% 39.1%
1991 49.6% 39.3%
1990 49% 39.4%
1989 48.3% 39.5%
1988 47.7% 39.5%
1987 47% 39.6%
1986 46.4% 39.7%
1985 45.7% 39.7%
1984 45.1% 39.8%
1983 44.5% 39.8%
1982 43.9% 39.9%
1981 43.4% 39.9%
1980 42.8% 39.9%
1979 42.3% 39.7%
1978 41.8% 39.3%
1977 41.4% 38.6%
1976 41% 37.8%
1975 40.6% 36.8%
1974 40.2% 35.6%
1973 40% 34.4%
1972 39.7% 33.2%
1971 39.5% 31.9%
1970 39.4% 30.7%
1969 39.3% 29.4%
1968 39.2% 28%
1967 39.1% 26.4%
1966 39% 24.6%
1965 38.9% 22.9%
1964 38.8% 21.3%
1963 38.7% 20.1%
1962 38.6% 19.1%
1961 38.5% 18.1%
1960 38.4% 17.2%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 36.8% to 45.5% in Zambia.

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
Zambia
City Population
Lusaka 2.47M
Kitwe 625K
Ndola 528K
Chingola 255K
Mufulira 182K
Livingstone 177K
Kasama 158K
Kapiri Mposhi 65.2K
Choma 51.8K

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/zambia | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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