Americas

El Salvador: flag, map, capital and facts

Everything about El Salvador: its flag, its map and its facts.

Capital: San Salvador
Population: 6.4 million
Area: 21,041 km²
Currency: US Dollar ($)

#112 by population · #149 by area · #107 economy in the world · #29 by population density

Population and society

Population of sv, 1960–2025. From 2.8 million in 1960 to 6.4 million in 2025.

Population density: 306 per km² (rank 29 of 194)
Urban population: 75.5% (2025)
Under 15: 24.4% (2025)
Over 65: 8.3% (2025)
Children per woman: 1.77 (2024)
Internet users: 66.5% (2024)

Economy and nature

GDP: $36.7B (rank 107 of 194)
Unemployment: 3.3% (2025)
Inflation: 0.3% (2025)
Forests: 33% (of its land · 2024)
CO₂ per person: 1.5 t (a year · 2024)
Lowest point: 0 m (sea level)

Figures: World Bank, latest year with data. Lowest point: reviewed by hand.

Symbols

Anthem: National anthem of El Salvador
Official name: República de El Salvador
Motto: Dios, Unión, Libertad (Spanish)

Coat of arms and anthem: Wikimedia Commons.

Practical facts

Official language: Spanish
Calling code: +503
Internet domain: .sv
Driving side: On the right
Time zone: UTC−6
Demonym: Salvadoran

Geography

Continent: Americas
Neighbouring countries: Guatemala, Honduras
Highest point: Cerro El Pital (2,730 m)
Largest city: San Salvador, the capital
Access to the sea: Yes

History and politics

Form of government: Presidential republic
Independence from: Spain (1821)

Economy and life

GDP per person: $5,767 (2025)
Life expectancy: 72.3 years (2024)
Human Development Index: 0.678 (rank 132 of 193)

Departments in figures

Name	Capital	Population	Area (km²)
Ahuachapán	—	348,880 (2024)	1,240
Cabañas	Sensuntepeque	143,049 (2024)	1,104
Chalatenango	—	185,930 (2024)	2,017
Cuscatlán	Cojutepeque	244,901 (2024)	756
La Libertad	Santa Tecla	765,879 (2024)	1,653
La Paz	Zacatecoluca	318,374 (2024)	1,224
La Unión	—	224,375 (2024)	2,074
Morazán	San Francisco Gotera	169,784 (2024)	1,447
San Miguel	—	447,634 (2024)	2,077
San Salvador	—	1,563,371 (2024)	886
San Vicente	—	161,857 (2024)	1,184
Santa Ana	—	552,938 (2024)	2,023
Sonsonate	—	470,455 (2024)	1,226
Usulután	—	325,494 (2024)	2,130

Capitals, population and area: Wikidata. The year of each population is in brackets.

Flags: Wikimedia Commons. Authors, where the licence asks for it: Ahuachapán (CC BY-SA 3.0, Jaume Olle), Cabañas (CC BY-SA 2.5, Zscout370), Cuscatlán (CC BY-SA 3.0, Jaume Olle'), La Paz (CC BY-SA 4.0, Jose campos12), San Miguel (CC BY-SA 3.0, Fred Drews, Jaume Olle, and Ninane), Santa Ana (CC BY-SA 4.0, Christopher Aragón), Sonsonate (CC BY-SA 4.0, Idea SV).