Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of El Salvador: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #81 of 195).
El Salvador is a presidential republic in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras. The country's capital is San Salvador; it covers 21,041 sq km. Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain). Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau. Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands. Population: 6.3 million (2025 estimate). Population growth: +0.34% per year. Median age: 31.2 years. Life expectancy: 75.9 years (2024 est.). Languages: Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) Religions: Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - u…
| Capital | San Salvador |
|---|---|
| Population | 6,334,723 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $73.961 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $11,700 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 2.6% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 0.9% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% |
| Public debt | 102.2% of GDP (2023 est.) |
| Exports | $11.586 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $18.354 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 75.9 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 31.2 |
| Urbanization | 75.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| Languages | Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) |
MCB · 51/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
No single event defined Jul–Sep 2026. The country's position is the product of long-cycle forces — geography, trade, neighbours — all of which held steady.
Momentum at zero is not stagnation; it is the accurate record of a quarter without a catalyst.
Hydropower, Oil.
Nayib Bukele — President. President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019)
El Salvador maintains 44 embassies and 44 consulates abroad, hosts 31 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, OAS Washington. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 44 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 44 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 31 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, OAS Washington |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, diplomatic & consular networks database, Mar 2026 report (of-country) https://zenodo.org/records/18917562 ; Jan 2026 report (in-city ranking) https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 307 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 27 (registration prefix YS) |
| Major seaports | Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union |
| Railways | 12.5 km |
El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (SAL) — San Salvador (San Luis Talpa); Ilopango International Airport (ILS) — San Salvador.
| Oil terminals | Acajutla offshore terminal |
|---|
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 51 Ranked #81 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for El Salvador.
