El Salvador People - 2023
SOURCE: 2023 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Population
6,602,370 (2023 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)
major-language sample(s):
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: 25.4% (male 857,304/female 819,670)
15-64 years: 66.39% (male 2,072,784/female 2,310,573)
65 years and over: 8.21% (2023 est.) (male 232,684/female 309,355)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 51.3
youth dependency ratio: 39
elderly dependency ratio: 12.3
potential support ratio: 8.1 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 27.7 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 29.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
0.46% (2023 est.)
Birth rate
17.49 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Death rate
5.92 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Net migration rate
-7.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 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: 75.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
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: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.8 years (2008 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio
43 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.63 years
male: 72.16 years
female: 79.27 years (2023 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.04 children born/woman (2023 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.99 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
71.9% (2014)
Drinking water source
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.)
Current health expenditure
9.9% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
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.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
24.6% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
Tobacco use
total: 7.9% (2020 est.)
male: 14.1% (2020 est.)
female: 1.7% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
5% (2014)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
55% (2023 est.)
Education expenditures
4.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.3%
female: 87.3% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2018)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 13.7%
male: 11.3%
female: 18.3% (2021 est.)
NOTE: The information regarding El Salvador on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of El Salvador 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about El Salvador 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 06 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.