El Salvador
- Capital:
- San Salvador
- Continent:
- North America
- Region(s):
- Central America, Latin America
- Largest Cities:
- San Salvador, Soyapango, Santa Ana
- Abbreviation:
- SLV
6,391,253
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
6,391,253
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
El Salvador's population is projected to be 5,205,941 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6,391,253 | 0.43% | 113 |
| 2025 | 6,365,503 | 0.42% | 113 |
| 2020 | 6,234,673 | 0.2% | 112 |
| 2019 | 6,222,318 | 0.04% | 112 |
| 2018 | 6,219,807 | 0.1% | 112 |
| 2017 | 6,213,533 | 0.21% | 112 |
| 2015 | 6,183,676 | 0.38% | 110 |
| 2010 | 6,068,249 | 0.21% | 108 |
| 2005 | 6,005,578 | 0.21% | 103 |
| 2000 | 5,943,366 | 0.62% | 101 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6,391,253 | 0.43% | 113 |
| 2032 | 6,525,797 | 0.34% | 113 |
| 2037 | 6,607,020 | 0.25% | 116 |
| 2042 | 6,656,215 | 0.15% | 117 |
| 2047 | 6,669,836 | 0.04% | 116 |
| 2052 | 6,652,327 | -0.05% | 116 |
| 2057 | 6,598,565 | -0.16% | 117 |
| 2062 | 6,519,119 | -0.24% | 118 |
| 2067 | 6,408,814 | -0.34% | 117 |
| 2072 | 6,272,855 | -0.43% | 117 |
249.7K
27.9K
55.8K
333.3K
San Salvador has a metropolitan area population of 333,295, comprising 5.21%% of El Salvador's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Salvador | 333,295 | 5.21% |
| 2 | Soyapango | 258,274 | 4.04% |
| 3 | Santa Ana | 249,665 | 3.91% |
| 4 | San Miguel | 213,496 | 3.34% |
| 5 | Apopa | 154,611 | 2.42% |
| 6 | Mejicanos | 133,594 | 2.09% |
| 7 | Ahuachapan | 130,348 | 2.04% |
| 8 | Santa Tecla | 127,393 | 1.99% |
| 9 | Delgado | 124,072 | 1.94% |
| 10 | Colon | 122,944 | 1.92% |
As of 2026, El Salvador has a total population of 6,391,253, ranking as the 113th most populous nation in the world.
El Salvador has a net population change of approximately 69 people per day, driven by 265 births, 132 deaths, and net emigration of 64 people.
El Salvador represents 0.08% of the total global population and 1.03% of North America's population.
El Salvador has a population density of 308.5 people per km² (approximately 798.9 per mi²), making it the 45th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 99.88% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in El Salvador is Mestizo (86.3%) , followed by White (12.7%) .
As of 2026, Roman Catholic is the largest religion in El Salvador, comprising 50% of the population.