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Country comparison

El SalvadorvsGuatemala

See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.

This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.

The biggest differences first

Population

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records 18,406,359, about 2.90× the other value.

Surface area

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records 108,890 km², about 5.18× the other value.

Nominal GDP

Guatemala is higher

Guatemala records $113.20 billion, about 3.20× the other value.

What stands out

Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.

Population

🇸🇻 El Salvador6,338,193
🇬🇹 Guatemala18,406,359

Guatemala’s population is 190% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of 12,068,166.

Surface area

🇸🇻 El Salvador21,040 km²
🇬🇹 Guatemala108,890 km²

Guatemala’s surface area is 418% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of 87,850 km².

Population density

🇸🇻 El Salvador301 /km²
🇬🇹 Guatemala169 /km²

El Salvador’s population density is 78% higher than that of Guatemala, a difference of 132 /km².

Nominal GDP

🇸🇻 El Salvador$35.36 billion · 2024
🇬🇹 Guatemala$113.20 billion · 2024

Guatemala’s nominal GDP is 220% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of $77.83 billion.

GDP per capita

🇸🇻 El Salvador$5,580 · 2024
🇬🇹 Guatemala$6,150 · 2024

Guatemala’s GDP per capita is 10% higher than that of El Salvador, a difference of $570.

Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.

Full side-by-side comparison

Capital

San Salvador

Guatemala City

Population

6,338,193

18,406,359

Surface area

21,040 km²

108,890 km²

Population density

301 /km²

169 /km²

Nominal GDP

$35.36 billion · 2024

$113.20 billion · 2024

GDP per capita

$5,580 · 2024

$6,150 · 2024

Region

Americas

Americas

Subregion

Central America

Central America

Currency

United States dollar · USD · $

Guatemalan quetzal · GTQ · Q

Nationality

Salvadoran

Guatemalan

Phone code

+503

+502

Internet domain

.sv

.gt

ISO codes

SV / SLV

GT / GTM

Time zone

America/El_Salvador

America/Guatemala

Native name

El Salvador

Guatemala

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About El Salvador

El Salvador, the smallest yet most densely populated nation in Central America, packs a vibrant mix of volcanic landscapes, colonial heritage, and a warm, resilient people into a compact 21,000‑square‑kilometer canvas.

Full El Salvador profile →

About Guatemala

Guatemala, nestled between Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, blends highland mystique with lush lowland tropics, making it a focal point of Central American culture and history.

Full Guatemala profile →

El Salvador & Guatemala: 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?

El Salvador has a recorded population of approximately 6,338,193 people.

How big is El Salvador?

El Salvador covers an area of about 21,040 km².

What is the population density of El Salvador?

El Salvador has a population density of roughly 301 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of El Salvador?

El Salvador has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $35.36 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of El Salvador?

El Salvador has a GDP per capita of approximately $5,580.

What currency is used in El Salvador?

El Salvador uses the United States dollar (USD), with the symbol $.

Where is El Salvador located?

El Salvador is located in Central America, Americas.

What are people from El Salvador called?

People from El Salvador are referred to as Salvadoran.

What is the phone calling code for El Salvador?

The international dialing code for El Salvador is +503.

What is the internet domain for El Salvador?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for El Salvador is .sv.

What time zone is El Salvador in?

El Salvador uses the America/El_Salvador time zone.

What is El Salvador known for?

El Salvador, the smallest yet most densely populated nation in Central America, packs a vibrant mix of volcanic landscapes, colonial heritage, and a warm, resilient people into a compact 21,000‑square‑kilometer canvas.

What is the capital of Guatemala?

The capital of Guatemala is Guatemala City.

What is the population of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a recorded population of approximately 18,406,359 people.

How big is Guatemala?

Guatemala covers an area of about 108,890 km².

What is the population density of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a population density of roughly 169 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $113.20 billion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Guatemala?

Guatemala has a GDP per capita of approximately $6,150.

What currency is used in Guatemala?

Guatemala uses the Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ), with the symbol Q.

Where is Guatemala located?

Guatemala is located in Central America, Americas.

What are people from Guatemala called?

People from Guatemala are referred to as Guatemalan.

What is the phone calling code for Guatemala?

The international dialing code for Guatemala is +502.

What is the internet domain for Guatemala?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Guatemala is .gt.

What time zone is Guatemala in?

Guatemala uses the America/Guatemala time zone.

What is Guatemala known for?

Guatemala, nestled between Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, blends highland mystique with lush lowland tropics, making it a focal point of Central American culture and history.