El Salvador is a country in Central America. Its capital is San Salvador.
North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks San Salvador; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapEl Salvador is a small Pacific-facing country with a chain of volcanoes and interior plateaus. Higher ground lies toward the north, while a coastal plain runs along the ocean. Volcanic soils and basins are important parts of the settled landscape.
Santa Ana volcano rises above surrounding uplands. Lake Coatepeque occupies a volcanic basin, showing how past eruptions have shaped water as well as land. Rivers descend through valleys toward Pacific estuaries and wetlands.
A rainy season alternates with a dry season. The coastal lowlands are hot, while the interior uplands are cooler.
Earthquakes and volcanic activity are significant geographic factors. A wet and dry seasonal pattern influences farming and river flow. Forest remnants, mountain habitats and coastal mangroves provide environmental variety within a densely used landscape.
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 has a round emblem with the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL around it
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · IMF · currency reforms
Water fills a broad volcanic basin in El Salvador’s western highlands.
An aerial view shows the lake and Teopán island within the volcanic basin.
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Spanish is the official language and the main language of everyday life.
Nawat, an Indigenous language also called Pipil, survives through speakers and revitalization efforts. It is related to Nahuatl varieties in Mexico, with its own history in El Salvador. Salvadoran Sign Language is also used.
El Salvador declared independence from Spain in 1821 and later separated from the Central American federation. Economic inequality and political conflict contributed to a civil war from 1980 to 1992. The 1992 peace accords ended the war and introduced military and political reforms.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · IMF · currency reforms
Manufacturing, especially textiles and clothing, trade and other services are important. Remittances support household spending. The US dollar is the main currency in use; reforms in 2025 made private acceptance of Bitcoin voluntary.
Clothing and textile manufacture, food processing, trade and business services are important activities.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · IMF · currency reforms
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3,668,796 | 3.669 |
| 1980 | 4,540,382 | 4.540 |
| 1990 | 5,399,726 | 5.400 |
| 2000 | 5,943,366 | 5.943 |
| 2010 | 6,068,249 | 6.068 |
| 2020 | 6,234,673 | 6.235 |
| 2025 | 6,365,503 | 6.366 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12,679,661,441 | 12.680 |
| 1991 | 12,869,106,686 | 12.869 |
| 1992 | 13,772,770,637 | 13.773 |
| 1993 | 14,574,113,893 | 14.574 |
| 1994 | 15,257,940,313 | 15.258 |
| 1995 | 15,980,263,628 | 15.980 |
| 1996 | 16,109,937,379 | 16.110 |
| 1997 | 16,615,462,392 | 16.615 |
| 1998 | 17,056,150,529 | 17.056 |
| 1999 | 17,424,910,258 | 17.425 |
| 2000 | 17,621,447,036 | 17.621 |
| 2001 | 17,776,447,691 | 17.776 |
| 2002 | 18,056,056,716 | 18.056 |
| 2003 | 18,338,704,970 | 18.339 |
| 2004 | 18,501,810,235 | 18.502 |
| 2005 | 18,997,812,331 | 18.998 |
| 2006 | 19,821,747,187 | 19.822 |
| 2007 | 20,187,974,225 | 20.188 |
| 2008 | 20,622,904,544 | 20.623 |
| 2009 | 20,188,015,255 | 20.188 |
| 2010 | 20,622,904,544 | 20.623 |
| 2011 | 21,407,994,006 | 21.408 |
| 2012 | 22,012,261,123 | 22.012 |
| 2013 | 22,504,372,601 | 22.504 |
| 2014 | 22,888,906,230 | 22.889 |
| 2015 | 23,438,240,000 | 23.438 |
| 2016 | 24,033,351,542 | 24.033 |
| 2017 | 24,573,529,737 | 24.574 |
| 2018 | 25,166,352,436 | 25.166 |
| 2019 | 25,779,775,127 | 25.780 |
| 2020 | 23,744,951,346 | 23.745 |
| 2021 | 26,571,731,219 | 26.572 |
| 2022 | 27,356,820,682 | 27.357 |
| 2023 | 28,274,665,875 | 28.275 |
| 2024 | 29,007,110,834 | 29.007 |
| 2025 | 30,140,111,728 | 30.140 |
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
A presidential republic with an elected President and a single-chamber Legislative Assembly. The judiciary forms a separate constitutional branch.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · IMF · currency reforms
Three questions about El Salvador.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · IMF · currency reforms
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
