Rural population growth in El Salvador
El Salvador: Rural population growth was -1.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in El Salvador, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded -1.4% for rural population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and up 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in El Salvador peaked at 2.7% in 1966 and was at its lowest, -2.3%, in 2006.
El Salvador ranks 178th of 209 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.6% | — |
| 1962 | 2.5% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 2.5% | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 2.6% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 2.6% | -1.9% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 2.3% | -7.6% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | -8.4% |
| 1972 | 2.0% | -5.0% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -8.3% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -8.7% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 1.1% | -18.7% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -60.8% |
| 1981 | -0.3% | -166.0% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | -143.1% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | +516.6% |
| 1984 | 0.8% | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 0.8% | -5.7% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | -4.9% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | -8.8% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | -14.3% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -24.2% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -26.2% |
| 1993 | -0.0% | -104.9% |
| 1994 | -0.5% | +2881.1% |
| 1995 | -0.7% | +45.4% |
| 1996 | -0.9% | +26.9% |
| 1997 | -1.1% | +18.5% |
| 1998 | -1.2% | +13.7% |
| 1999 | -1.4% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | -1.5% | +10.4% |
| 2001 | -1.7% | +10.1% |
| 2002 | -1.8% | +10.0% |
| 2003 | -2.0% | +9.0% |
| 2004 | -2.1% | +7.1% |
| 2005 | -2.2% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | -2.3% | +4.0% |
| 2007 | -2.2% | -7.2% |
| 2008 | -2.0% | -5.6% |
| 2009 | -2.2% | +6.4% |
| 2010 | -2.2% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | -2.3% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | -2.3% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | -2.3% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | -2.2% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | -2.2% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | -2.1% | -6.7% |
| 2017 | -2.1% | +3.8% |
| 2018 | -2.3% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | -2.3% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | -2.2% | -6.8% |
| 2021 | -2.0% | -6.5% |
| 2022 | -1.4% | -31.4% |
| 2023 | -1.3% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | -1.4% | +2.9% |
| 2025 | -1.4% | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | -0.3% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.4% | -1.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.0% | -2.3% | -1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.2% | -2.3% | -2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.6% | -2.2% | -1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More agriculture & rural data for El Salvador
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.044 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 253.9 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2448 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in El Salvador?
- Rural population growth in El Salvador was -1.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1966.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.3% in 2006.
- How does El Salvador rank for rural population growth?
- El Salvador ranks 178th out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.