Costa Rica vs El Salvador: Total population
Costa Rica
5,153
in 2025
El Salvador
6,366
in 2025
Costa Rica rank
18th
El Salvador rank
17th
Total population over time
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
How they compare
El Salvador currently reports 6,366 against 5,153 in Costa Rica, a difference of 1,213.
That makes El Salvador's figure about 1.2 times Costa Rica's.
Across all 76 years both countries report, El Salvador has been ahead every year.
Costa Rica ranks 18th and El Salvador ranks 17th of 36 countries.
El Salvador has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | El Salvador | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1,091 | 2,437 | 1,346 | El Salvador |
| 1960s | 1,559 | 3,168 | 1,609 | El Salvador |
| 1970s | 2,073 | 4,075 | 2,002 | El Salvador |
| 1980s | 2,710 | 4,871 | 2,162 | El Salvador |
| 1990s | 3,493 | 5,706 | 2,213 | El Salvador |
| 2000s | 4,226 | 6,000 | 1,773 | El Salvador |
| 2010s | 4,787 | 6,161 | 1,375 | El Salvador |
| 2020s | 5,094 | 6,297 | 1,203 | El Salvador |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total population, Costa Rica or El Salvador?
- El Salvador, at 6,366 against 5,153 in Costa Rica as of 2025.
- What is the difference in total population between Costa Rica and El Salvador?
- 1,213, with El Salvador ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and El Salvador?
- 76 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2025.
- How do Costa Rica and El Salvador rank globally for total population?
- Costa Rica ranks 18th and El Salvador ranks 17th of 36 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNICEF, published as Total population (in thousands). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.