Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador
El Salvador: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.77 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador stood at 1.77 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador peaked at 6.69 births per woman in 1963 and was at its lowest, 1.77 births per woman, in 2024.
That places El Salvador 121st out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.62 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 6.64 births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1962 | 6.67 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 6.69 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 6.68 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 6.64 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 6.57 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1967 | 6.49 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 6.39 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1969 | 6.28 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1970 | 6.18 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 6.13 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 6.03 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1973 | 5.93 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 5.82 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 5.71 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1976 | 5.59 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 5.47 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 5.36 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 5.23 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 5.11 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 4.99 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 4.83 births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 4.65 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1984 | 4.48 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1985 | 4.32 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 4.19 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 4.17 births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 4.1 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 4.03 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 3.96 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 3.89 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 3.8 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 3.69 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 3.61 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 3.57 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 3.48 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 3.38 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 3.34 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 3.22 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 3.08 births per woman | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 2.93 births per woman | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 2.77 births per woman | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 2.64 births per woman | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 2.52 births per woman | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 2.44 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 2.4 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 2.35 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 2.29 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.26 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 2.24 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 2.22 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 2.19 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 2.15 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.13 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.07 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 1.97 births per woman | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 1.9 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 1.85 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 1.84 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.82 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 1.8 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 1.78 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 1.77 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 1.77 births per woman | -0.4% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 1.77 births per woman is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8 births per woman, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 1.77 births per woman is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.62 births per woman, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.57 births per woman | 6.28 births per woman | 6.69 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.75 births per woman | 5.23 births per woman | 6.18 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.49 births per woman | 4.03 births per woman | 5.11 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.59 births per woman | 3.22 births per woman | 3.96 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.57 births per woman | 2.26 births per woman | 3.08 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 births per woman | 1.84 births per woman | 2.24 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.79 births per woman | 1.77 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 118 Georgia 1.8 births per woman compare
- 119 Montenegro 1.8 births per woman compare
- 120 North Korea 1.78 births per woman compare
- 122 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.76 births per woman compare
- 123 Brunei 1.73 births per woman compare
- 124 Moldova 1.73 births per woman compare
More population data for El Salvador
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.5 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.8534 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2367 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.8534 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.9% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 204,177 people (2100)
- Population density 244.85 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.9% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.06 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.3467 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in El Salvador was 1.77 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 6.69 births per woman in 1963.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.77 births per woman in 2024.
- How does El Salvador rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- El Salvador ranks 121st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.