ARCHIVE // SV // 2024
El Salvador
2024 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 586,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and two known government-owned radio broadcast station; transition to digital transmission to begin in 2018 along with adaptation of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022)
Internet country code
[time series]
.sv
Internet users
[time series]
total: 3.969 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 63% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: El Salvador is the smallest country in central America geographically, it has the fourth largest economy in the region; the country s telecom sector has been restricted by poor infrastructure and unequal income distribution; there have been organizational delays which have slowed the development of telecom services; El Salvador s fixed-line teledensity is substantially lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; there has been a significant drop in the number of fixed lines since 2010, particularly in 2017, largely due to the substitution for mobile-only alternatives; about 94% of all telephony lines in the country are on mobile networks; mobile subscriptions are remarkably high considering El Salvador s economic indicators, being about a third higher than average for Latin America and the Caribbean; the country was one of the last in the region to provide LTE services, mainly due to the inadequate provision of suitable spectrum; the multi-spectrum auction conducted at the end of 2019 has allowed MNOs to improve the reach and quality of their service offerings; El Salvador s telecom legislation is one of the more liberal in Latin America, encouraging competition in most areas and permitting foreign investment; there are no regulations which promote wholesale broadband; the only effective cross-platform competition in the broadband market comes from the few cable operators; there has been some market consolidation in recent years (2021) domestic: fixed-line services, roughly 14 per 100, mobile-cellular competition now at 175 subscribers per 100 inhabitants (2021) international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2019)
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 863,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 11.509 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 182 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, beans, sorghum, coconuts, oranges, eggs, yautia (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures
[time series]
on food: 26.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $9.359 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $9.371 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: B- (2017) Moody's rating: B3 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: B- (2018) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance
[time series]
-$465.688 million (2023 est.) -$2.182 billion (2022 est.) -$1.25 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
[time series]
$11.276 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview
[time series]
growth-challenged Central American economy buttressed via remittances; dense labor force; fairly aggressive COVID-19 stimulus plan; new and lower banking reserve requirements; earthquake, tropical storm, and crime disruptions; widespread corruption
Exchange rates
[time series]
the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy
Exports
[time series]
$10.629 billion (2023 est.) $10.164 billion (2022 est.) $8.351 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, fabric, raw sugar (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
[time series]
US 38%, Guatemala 16%, Honduras 16%, Nicaragua 7%, Costa Rica 4% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$34.016 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 81.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 18% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: -2.7% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.1% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 4.6% (2023 est.) industry: 25% (2023 est.) services: 59.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
38.8 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 1.9% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 28.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports
[time series]
$17.032 billion (2023 est.) $18.184 billion (2022 est.) $15.483 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
refined petroleum, garments, natural gas, plastic products, plastics (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
[time series]
US 30%, China 16%, Guatemala 12%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 6% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
4.12% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
[time series]
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
4.05% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) 3.47% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
[time series]
2.87 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Population below poverty line
[time series]
26.6% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt
[time series]
66.47% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$71.957 billion (2023 est.) $69.516 billion (2022 est.) $67.623 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
3.51% (2023 est.) 2.8% (2022 est.) 11.9% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$11,300 (2023 est.) $11,000 (2022 est.) $10,700 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances
[time series]
23.94% of GDP (2023 est.) 24.05% of GDP (2022 est.) 25.74% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$3.426 billion (2021 est.) $3.083 billion (2020 est.) $4.446 billion (2019 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
19.69% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
[time series]
2.76% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) 4.33% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 7.2% (2023 est.) male: 5.3% (2023 est.) female: 10.8% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
8.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.814 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 441,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Coal
[time series]
consumption: 500 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 2.853 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 6.666 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 85.75 million kWh (2022 est.) imports: 1.351 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 953.156 million kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
fossil fuels: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 16.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 35.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) geothermal: 24.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 14.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
23.672 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
consumption: 226.472 million cubic meters (2022 est.) imports: 226.472 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
total petroleum production: 3 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 58,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 22.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 7.17 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.71 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Environment - current issues
[time series]
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.) forest: 13.6% (2018 est.) other: 11.7% (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
0.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
26.27 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 470 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 210 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 1.43 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,648,996 tons (2010 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total : 21,041 sq km land: 20,721 sq km water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
about the same size as New Jersey
Climate
[time series]
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Coastline
[time series]
307 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 442 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Geography - note
[time series]
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on the Caribbean Sea
Irrigated land
[time series]
274 sq km (2020)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 590 km border countries (2): Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.) arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.) forest: 13.6% (2018 est.) other: 11.7% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Map references
[time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
[time series]
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
Natural resources
[time series]
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Population distribution
[time series]
athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Terrain
[time series]
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Capital
[time series]
name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish for "Holy Savior" (referring to Jesus Christ)
Citizenship
[time series]
citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution
[time series]
history: many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983 amendments: proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2003, 2009, 2014
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Rep blica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador etymology: name is an abbreviation of the original Spanish conquistador designation for the area "Provincia de Nuestro Senor Jesus Cristo, el Salvador del Mundo" (Province of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World), which became simply "El Salvador" (The Savior)
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador William H. DUNCAN (since 24 January 2023) embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450 telephone: [503] 2501-2999 FAX: [503] 2501-2150 email address and website: ACSSanSal@state.gov https://sv.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 595-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3763 email address and website: infoEEUU@rree.gob.sv consulate(s) general: Aurora (CO), Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Doral (FL), Duluth (GA), El Paso (TX), Elizabeth (NJ), Fresno (CA), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Long Island (NY), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, Omaha (NE), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Silver Spring (MD), Springdale (AR), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Woodbridge (VA)
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) head of government: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 5-year term; election last held on 4 February 2024 (next to be held in 2029) election results: 2024: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez reelected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (Nuevas Ideas) 84.7%, Manuel FLORES (FMLN) 6.4%, Joel SANCHEZ (ARENA) 5.6%, Luis PARADA (NT) 2%, other 1.3% 2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.7%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.4%, other 0.8% note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Government type
[time series]
presidential republic
Independence
[time series]
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
[time series]
ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one-third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed subordinate courts: Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system with minor common law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and a single nationwide constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 3-year terms) elections: last held on 28 February 2021 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NI 66.5%, ARENA 12.2%, FMLN 6.9%, GANA 5.3%, PCN 4.1%, other 5%; seats by party - NI 56, ARENA 14, GANA 5, FMLN 4, other 5; composition - men 61, women 23, percent of women 27.4%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador) lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE note: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at 4:20 minutes, the anthem of El Salvador is one of the world's longest
National heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Joya de Cer n Archaeological Site
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
turquoise-browed motmot (bird); national colors: blue, white
Political parties
[time series]
Christian Democratic Party or PDC Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA National Coalition Party or PCN Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT Vamos or V
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. El Salvador is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) is responsible for defending national sovereignty and ensuring territorial integrity but also has considerable domestic security responsibilities; while the National Civil Police (PNC) is responsible for maintaining public security, the country s constitution allows the president to use the FAES in exceptional circumstances to maintain internal peace and public security; in 2016, the government created a special 1,000-strong joint unit of Army commandos and police to fight criminal gangs; more military personnel were devoted to internal security beginning in 2019 when President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat rising gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security; since the decree, a considerable portion of the Army has been deployed in support of the PNC; in multiple cases since 2022, for example, as many as 8,000 troops have been deployed alongside thousands of police on single operations against criminal gang members the FAES exercises with regional partners and the US, in such areas as internal security and disaster relief operations; it has deployed small numbers of personnel on UN peacekeeping missions and in support of military operations in Iraq (2003-2009) the military led the country for much of the 20th century; from 1980 to 1992, it fought a bloody civil war against guerrillas from the Farabundo Mart National Liberation Front or FMLN, the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Revolutionary Front (Frente Democr tico Revolucionario), a coalition of left-wing dissident political groups backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union; the FAES received considerable US support during the conflict; significant human rights violations occurred during the war and approximately 75,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, were killed (2023)
Military and security forces
[time series]
the Armed Force of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Navy of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2024) note: the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) are under the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety; in 2016, El Salvador created a combined Army commando and PNC unit to combat criminal gang violence
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
approximately 25,000 active military personnel (21,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the FAES is lightly armed with an inventory of mostly older imported arms and equipment, largely from the US (2023)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18-30 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and non-commissioned officers (2023)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400)
Alcohol consumption per capita
[time series]
total: 2.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
17.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Child marriage
[time series]
women married by age 15: 4.3% women married by age 18: 19.7% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
5% (2014)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
71.9% (2014)
Current health expenditure
[time series]
9.9% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
55% (2023 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Demographic profile
[time series]
El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing. Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 51.3 youth dependency ratio: 39 elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 potential support ratio: 8.1 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 99.6% of population rural: 94.2% of population total: 98.2% of population unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population rural: 5.8% of population total: 1.8% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
4.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
[time series]
0.98 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 72.4 years female: 79.5 years
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.1% male: 91.3% female: 87.3% (2019)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
43 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 29.7 years (2024 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 31.2 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
20.8 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Net migration rate
[time series]
-7.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
24.6% (2016)
Physician density
[time series]
2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Population
[time series]
total: 6,628,702 male: 3,172,244 female: 3,456,458 (2024 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.34% (2024 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 97.1% of population total: 99.2% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 2.9% of population total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2018)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
[time series]
total: 7.9% (2020 est.) male: 14.1% (2020 est.) female: 1.7% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
[time series]
a transit country for illicit drugs destined for the United States; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
IDPs: 52,000 (2022)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
27 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
YS
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 5 (2023) by type: other 5
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,545,105 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 10.73 million (2018) mt-km
Ports
[time series]
total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union
Railways
[time series]
total: 12.5 km (2014) narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge
Roadways
[time series]
total: 9,012 km paved: 5,341 km unpaved: 3,671 km (2017)
Waterways
[time series]
422 km (2022) (Rio Lempa River is partially navigable by small craft)