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Capital of El Salvador: San Salvador — Facts & Quiz

The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador. El Salvador sits in North America, has a population of 6,336,392, and uses the USD. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: San Salvador
  • Continent: North America
  • Population: ~6,336,392
  • Area: 21,041 km²
  • Population density: 301 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: USD
  • ISO code: SV

How big is El Salvador?

By population, El Salvador ranks 111th in the world, holding roughly 0.08% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 149th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. El Salvador has 301 people per square kilometre, which is about 5.1 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within North America, El Salvador is the 10th most populous country of 23.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to El Salvador in population are Turkmenistan (6,430,770) and Kyrgyzstan (6,630,623).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Israel (20,770 km²) and Slovenia (20,273 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.

The USD is not unique to El Salvador — it is also used by Ecuador, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, and 2 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.

How to remember El Salvador

San Salvador, 'Holy Saviour', is the country's name with 'San' in front: El Salvador, capital San Salvador. The city is in the highlands, surrounded by volcanoes. For the flag, think of the land (white) between two oceans (blue).

The flag of El Salvador: cobalt blue and white

🇸🇻 The flag is three horizontal stripes of blue, white and blue, with the national coat of arms in the centre of the white stripe. The blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land between them, and for peace and prosperity. The design comes from the old blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.

Region and neighbours

El Salvador is a small country in Central America, on the Pacific coast, between Guatemala and Honduras. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Guatemala and Honduras.

Three facts about El Salvador

  1. El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in continental America, and is nicknamed 'Pulgarcito de America', the 'Tom Thumb of the Americas'.
  2. The United States dollar has been El Salvador's currency since 2001.
  3. The pupusa, a thick handmade tortilla with a filling, is one of the country's best-known dishes.

Sources: Wikipedia: El Salvador, Wikipedia: Flag of El Salvador, Wikipedia: San Salvador, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on El Salvador

El Salvador capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of El Salvador 🇸🇻?

    • San Salvador
    • Roseau
    • Managua
    • Tegucigalpa
    Show answer

    San Salvador

  2. What is the capital of Nicaragua 🇳🇮?

    • Basseterre
    • Mexico City
    • Saint John's
    • Managua
    Show answer

    Managua

  3. What is the capital of Costa Rica 🇨🇷?

    • San Salvador
    • Mexico City
    • San José
    • Washington, D.C.
    Show answer

    San José

  4. What is the capital of Panama 🇵🇦?

    • Santo Domingo
    • Panama City
    • Nassau
    • Basseterre
    Show answer

    Panama City

  5. What is the capital of Honduras 🇭🇳?

    • Bridgetown
    • Saint John's
    • Tegucigalpa
    • Washington, D.C.
    Show answer

    Tegucigalpa

El Salvador in North America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block El Salvador belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for El Salvador.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of El Salvador?

The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador.

What is the population of El Salvador?

About 6,336,392, making it the 111th most populous country in the world.

How big is El Salvador?

21,041 square kilometres, ranking 149th by land area, at a density of 301 people per square kilometre.

What currency does El Salvador use?

The USD, shared with 6 other countries.

What are the colours of the El Salvador flag?

The flag of El Salvador is three horizontal stripes of blue, white and blue, with the national coat of arms in the centre of the white stripe. The blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land between them, and for peace and prosperity. The design comes from the old blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.

Which countries border El Salvador?

El Salvador shares land borders with Guatemala and Honduras.

How can I remember the capital of El Salvador?

San Salvador, 'Holy Saviour', is the country's name with 'San' in front: El Salvador, capital San Salvador. The city is in the highlands, surrounded by volcanoes. For the flag, think of the land (white) between two oceans (blue).

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