El Salvador Key Facts: Population, Area, Government and Economy
At a glance
| Fact | El Salvador |
|---|---|
| Capital | San Salvador |
| Population | 6,029,976 (2024 census) |
| Area | 21,041 km² (land 20,721 km², water 320 km²) |
| Divisions | 14 departments, 44 municipalities and 262 districts |
| Official language | Spanish; Nawat is spoken by some Indigenous people |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Time zone | UTC−6, no daylight saving time |
| Electricity | 110–120 volts, US-type plugs |
| Internet domain | .sv |
| Independence | 15 September 1821, from Spain |
Source: BCR: results of the VII Population Census and VI Housing Census, 31 October 2024; CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition; Legislative Assembly: Decree 762, the Special Law for the Territorial Restructuring of El Salvador; US International Trade Administration: El Salvador Country Commercial Guide, business travel1,2,3,4
Geography and climate
- Borders: 590 km of land borders, with Guatemala (199 km) to the west and Honduras (391 km) to the north and east. The Pacific coastline is 307 km long.
- Relief: mostly mountains, with a narrow coastal belt and a central plateau. The highest point is Cerro El Pital, at 2,730 m, on the border with Honduras.
- Climate: tropical, with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. It is cooler in the highlands.
- Volcanoes: a chain of volcanoes runs across the country; see volcanoes and lakes.
Source: CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition2
People
- Census: the VII Population Census of 2024 counted 6,029,976 people. The CIA estimate for 2025 is higher, at 6.33 million, so figures vary by source.
- Urban share: 75.4% of people lived in towns and cities in 2023. The median age is 31.2 years.
- Religion (2023): Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6%, none 16.3%.
- Diaspora: a large Salvadoran community lives abroad, mostly in the United States; see the diaspora.
Source: BCR: results of the VII Population Census and VI Housing Census, 31 October 2024; CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition1,2
Government
- System: a presidential republic under the Constitution of 1983, with a civil law legal system.
- President: elected for a six-year term, with no term limit. The next presidential election was moved to 28 February 2027 by an Assembly vote on 31 July 2025.
- Legislature: the unicameral Legislative Assembly has 60 seats, elected for three years.
- State of exception: a state of exception has been in force since March 2022; see history for what it suspends and the concerns it has raised.
Source: CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition; La Prensa Gráfica: the Assembly approves the 56th extension of the state of exception, 21 October 20262,5
Economy and money
- Size: GDP was USD 35.4 billion in 2024, with real growth of 2.6%.
- Currency: the US dollar has been legal tender since 1 January 2001.
- Bitcoin: the 2021 Bitcoin Law made accepting bitcoin compulsory; Decree 199 of January 2025 made acceptance voluntary for private parties. See Bitcoin and digital assets.
- Trade: the main export markets are the United States (36%), Guatemala (17%) and Honduras (15%).
- Tourism: 4,123,892 international visitors came in 2025 and spent USD 3,635 million.
Source: CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition; Encyclopaedia Britannica: El Salvador, history; Reuters: Lawmakers in El Salvador rush new bitcoin reform after IMF deal (30 January 2025); Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 20252,6,7,8
Sources
- BCR: results of the VII Population Census and VI Housing Census, 31 October 2024 (in Spanish)
- CIA World Factbook archive: El Salvador, 2025 edition
- Legislative Assembly: Decree 762, the Special Law for the Territorial Restructuring of El Salvador (in Spanish)
- US International Trade Administration: El Salvador Country Commercial Guide, business travel
- La Prensa Gráfica: the Assembly approves the 56th extension of the state of exception, 21 October 2026 (in Spanish)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: El Salvador, history
- Reuters: Lawmakers in El Salvador rush new bitcoin reform after IMF deal (30 January 2025)
- Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 2025 (in Spanish)
Facts checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information.