Mercator
Conformal, cylindrical. Meridians and parallels form a rectangular grid, and the spacing between parallels grows toward the poles, so polar regions are hugely enlarged.
North America · SLV · Country profile
El Salvador: true size, area and map scale
Explore the country's geographic outline, see it in different projections and compare it with a familiar scale.
Simplified outline · Natural Earth21,041 km²
- Total surface area
- 21,041 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 6,365,503 2025 data
- Population density
- 307.2 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 20,720 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- San Salvador North America
- Country code
- SLV ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 / UN M49
Explore the shape
Country shape under different projections
The same country, different ways to show the Earth. Each outline opens a map with this country selected.
Globe (Orthographic)
Neither equal-area nor conformal, perspective azimuthal. It looks like a photograph of the globe from space: only one hemisphere is visible, and areas near the edge of the disk are squeezed hard.
Equal Earth
Equal-area, pseudocylindrical. Parallels are straight lines, the poles are flat lines, and the sides of the map are gently rounded, much like Robinson.
Outlines fit their tiles. They show changes in shape, not areas at a shared scale. The Mercator value estimates area inflation at the country's centre.
Understand the scale
How large is El Salvador?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
El SalvadorOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
El Salvador vs Poland
Area ratio (Poland / El Salvador): about 14.9.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
El Salvador vs Slovenia
Slovenia: 20,273 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
El Salvador vs Brazil
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
El Salvador: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
El Salvador covers 21,041 km², ranking 151 out of 200 by area in this dataset. This is a compact territory where a few thousand square kilometers can noticeably change the ranking. Within North America, that places it 14 out of 25.
The area of Poland is about 15 times larger. This comparison is deliberately simple: Poland works as an easy reference point, and then it makes sense to move toward a similarly sized country. By area, the closest match is Slovenia.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 6,365,503 people, with an average density of 307.2/km². El Salvador ranks 111 out of 197 by population and 30 out of 197 by density. That is very dense settlement, where even a small area can contain many daily routes, cities, and administrative boundaries.
Within its continent, El Salvador represents about 0.09% of the area and about 1% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 10 out of 25, so area alone does not tell the full story.
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. That is why El Salvador is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Slovenia. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare El Salvador with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Bulgaria is a useful next clue.
#151AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#14ContinentEl Salvador covers about 0.09% of the area in North America.
#111PopulationAbout 6,365,503 people; continental rank 10 of 25.
307.2/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #30 of 197.SloveniaClosest scaleThe most natural same-area outline comparison.The numeric values are used as comparative references for learning scale. Rankings include only countries and territories with a verified value in the selected sources.
Test your intuition
From map to challenge
Questions and sources
Frequently asked questions about size and location
What is the actual area of El Salvador?
El Salvador covers 21,041 km². In this dataset, that ranks 151 out of 200 by area, and 14 out of 25 within its continent. The area of Poland is about 15 times larger.
How many people live in El Salvador, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 6,365,503 people, with an average density of 307.2/km². El Salvador ranks 111 out of 197 by population and 30 out of 197 by density. That is very dense settlement, where even a small area can contain many daily routes, cities, and administrative boundaries.
What should I compare El Salvador with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: El Salvador vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and El Salvador vs Slovenia because their areas are very close. For population, Bulgaria is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show El Salvador at the right scale?
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. That is why a country's position on the map can mislead, while same-scale outline comparison usually gives a better intuition than a classic atlas.
Why can El Salvador look different in different map projections?
Every projection moves a globe onto a flat surface and must trade something away: shape, area, direction, or distance. On this page, you can compare the impression created by Mercator, orthographic, and equal-area views.
How should I use this page to remember the size of El Salvador?
Start with the numbers, open a 1vs1 comparison with a similar country, and then try the size-illusion quiz. That sequence combines facts, visuals, and play, making the scale easier to remember.
Take a closer look at the data
Each value keeps its own reference year or source edition. Boundaries are simplified and are not suitable for geodetic measurements.
Keep exploring
Choose another perspective
Geometry: Natural Earth / world-atlas, public domain. Outlines simplified and transformed into map projections. Sources, licences and data coverage.