What is the population of El Salvador in 2026?
El Salvador has a population of 6,365,503 people (2025 estimate), which is 113th in the world and about 0.08% of the global total.
Country profile · North America · Rank #113 by population
El Salvador
Officially Republic of El Salvador
Population 2025
6,365,503
#113
in the world
0.08%
of world population
+0.43%
annual growth
About El Salvador
With a population of 6,365,503, El Salvador ranks 113th globally and is one of Central America's most densely populated countries at 305 people per km². The nation is heavily urbanized, with 76% of residents living in cities, while its young median age of 27.9 years reflects a growing workforce. Annual population growth stands at 0.4%, supported by a fertility rate of 1.8 births per woman and a life expectancy of 72.3 years.
The republic, established in 1841, covers 20,720 km² and borders Guatemala and Honduras. Spanish is the primary language, and the country uses the United States dollar as its currency. With a GDP per capita of $5,767, the nation's economy reflects its position as a lower-middle-income country in the region.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- San Salvador
- Continent
- North America
- ISO codes
- SV · SLV
- Demonym
- Salvadoran
- Currency
- United States dollar (USD $)
- Government
- Presidential system, Representative democracy, Republic
- State inception
- 1841
- Time zone
- UTC−06:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +503
- Internet TLD
- .sv
- Land neighbours
- 2
Languages
- Spanish
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 24.8%
- Age 15–64
- 67.0%
- Age 65+
- 8.1%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 8 | 64 |
| 95-99 | 327 | 919 |
| 90-94 | 2,498 | 5,736 |
| 85-89 | 9,534 | 18,637 |
| 80-84 | 22,726 | 39,215 |
| 75-79 | 39,516 | 60,584 |
| 70-74 | 55,401 | 84,066 |
| 65-69 | 71,198 | 106,046 |
| 60-64 | 88,442 | 132,434 |
| 55-59 | 110,211 | 159,830 |
| 50-54 | 126,916 | 181,613 |
| 45-49 | 144,462 | 203,646 |
| 40-44 | 156,761 | 207,931 |
| 35-39 | 191,112 | 219,633 |
| 30-34 | 267,158 | 268,413 |
| 25-29 | 320,086 | 310,094 |
| 20-24 | 308,918 | 293,842 |
| 15-19 | 287,995 | 269,962 |
| 10-14 | 288,856 | 270,414 |
| 5-9 | 266,942 | 253,881 |
| 0-4 | 251,667 | 240,500 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,183,506 |
| 1960 | 2,791,459 |
| 1970 | 3,668,796 |
| 1980 | 4,540,382 |
| 1990 | 5,399,726 |
| 2000 | 5,943,366 |
| 2010 | 6,068,249 |
| 2020 | 6,234,673 |
| 2030 | 6,486,207 |
| 2040 | 6,640,752 |
| 2050 | 6,663,346 |
| 2060 | 6,554,199 |
| 2070 | 6,329,849 |
| 2080 | 5,985,033 |
| 2090 | 5,532,369 |
| 2100 | 5,073,225 |
How El Salvador Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
- India1.46B
- China1.41B
- United States341.8M
- Indonesia285.7M
- Pakistan255.2M
- Nigeria237.5M
- Brazil212.8M
- Bangladesh175.7M
- Russia143.5M
- Ethiopia135.5M
- El Salvador6.37M
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| El Salvador | 6.37M |
Largest Cities in El Salvador
All cities →35 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Salvador | San Salvador Department | 525,990 |
| 2 | Soyapango | San Salvador Department | 329,708 |
| 3 | San Miguel | San Miguel Department | 247,126 |
| 4 | Santa Ana | Santa Ana Department | 176,661 |
| 5 | Mejicanos | San Salvador Department | 160,317 |
| 6 | Santa Tecla | La Libertad Department | 124,694 |
| 7 | Apopa | San Salvador Department | 112,158 |
| 8 | Delgado | San Salvador Department | 71,594 |
Highest Peaks in El Salvador
All peaks →28 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.
| # | Peak | Range | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro El Pital | Sierra Madre de Chiapas | 2,730 m |
| 2 | Cerro Miramundo | — | 2,394 m |
| 3 | Volcán de Santa Ana | — | 2,381 m |
| 4 | Cerro Montecristo | — | 2,187 m |
| 5 | Volcán de San Vicente | American Cordillera | 2,182 m |
| 6 | Volcán de San Miguel | American Cordillera | 2,130 m |
| 7 | Cerro Redondo | — | 1,981 m |
| 8 | Cerro El Aguila | — | 1,953 m |
Countries Bordering El Salvador
2 land borders.
El Salvador Population FAQ
Is the population of El Salvador growing or shrinking?
El Salvador's population is growing at +0.43% per year, a change of roughly 27,372 people annually.
What is the capital of El Salvador?
The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador.
How densely populated is El Salvador?
El Salvador has 305/km² across 20,720 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in El Salvador?
Life expectancy at birth in El Salvador is 72.3 years (2024).
What is the median age in El Salvador?
The median age in El Salvador is 27.9 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is El Salvador in?
El Salvador is in North America.