Rural population in El Salvador
El Salvador: Rural population was 24.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
24.0%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
141st
of 214 countries
All-time high
60.6%
in 1970
All-time low
24.0%
in 2024
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Rural population in El Salvador, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population in El Salvador stood at 24.0%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in El Salvador peaked at 60.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 24.0%, in 2024.
El Salvador ranks 141st of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 60.6% | — |
| 1971 | 60.5% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 60.0% | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 59.5% | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 59.0% | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 58.4% | -0.9% |
| 1976 | 57.9% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 57.4% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 56.9% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 56.4% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 55.9% | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 55.4% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 54.9% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 54.4% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 53.8% | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 53.3% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 52.8% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 52.3% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 51.8% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 51.2% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 50.7% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 50.2% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 48.6% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 47.3% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 46.0% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 44.7% | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 43.5% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 42.2% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 41.6% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 41.1% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 40.5% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 40.0% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 39.4% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 38.9% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 38.4% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 37.8% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 37.2% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 36.3% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 35.4% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 34.5% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 33.7% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 32.0% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 31.1% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 30.3% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 29.5% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 28.7% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 28.0% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 27.3% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 26.6% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 25.9% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 25.2% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 24.6% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 24.0% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 58.7% | 56.4% | 60.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.6% | 51.2% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 46.5% | 41.6% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.5% | 35.4% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.8% | 27.3% | 34.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.3% | 24.0% | 26.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 138 Equatorial Guinea 25.1% compare
- 139 Russian Federation 24.5% compare
- 140 Algeria 24.3% compare
- 142 Sao Tome and Principe 23.0% compare
- 143 Bulgaria 23.0% compare
- 144 Cuba 22.3% compare
More population data for El Salvador
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.8534 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.5 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 6,637 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.3467 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.06 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.9% (2100)
- Population density 244.85 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 204,177 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in El Salvador?
- Rural population in El Salvador was 24.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 60.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.0% in 2024.
- How does El Salvador rank for rural population?
- El Salvador ranks 141st out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release