El Salvador People - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population

6,528,135 (July 2021 est.)

Nationality

noun: Salvadoran(s)

adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups

Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Amerindian 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Nawat (among some Amerindians)

printed major-language sample:
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 36%, other 2%, none 12% (2014 est.)

Demographic profile

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.

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.83% (male 857,003/female 817,336)

15-24 years: 18.82% (male 619,368/female 600,501)

25-54 years: 40.51% (male 1,221,545/female 1,404,163)

55-64 years: 7.23% (male 198,029/female 270,461)

65 years and over: 7.6% (male 214,717/female 277,979) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54.4

youth dependency ratio: 41.1

elderly dependency ratio: 13.4

potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 27.7 years

male: 26.2 years

female: 29.3 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.67% (2021 est.)

Birth rate

18.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate

5.91 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate

-5.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 74.1% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

1.107 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2021)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.73 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2008 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality rate

46 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.38 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.03 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.11 years

male: 71.6 years

female: 78.79 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

71.9% (2014)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 92.2% of population

total: 97.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 7.8% of population

total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

7.1% (2018)

Physicians density

1.57 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 94.7% of population

total: 98.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 5.3% of population

total: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

25,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.6% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5% (2014)

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2018)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.5%

male: 90.6%

female: 86.7% (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2018)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.9%

male: 8.3%

female: 12.8% (2019)

NOTE: The information regarding El Salvador on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of El Salvador 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about El Salvador 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.