Population
Nicaragua is higher
Nicaragua records 6,916,140, about 1.09× the other value.
Country comparison
El SalvadorvsNicaragua
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
Surface area
Nicaragua is higher
Nicaragua records 130,370 km², about 6.20× the other value.
Nominal GDP
El Salvador is higher
El Salvador records $35.36 billion, about 1.80× the other value.
What stands out
Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.
Population
🇸🇻 El Salvador6,338,193
🇳🇮 Nicaragua6,916,140
Nicaragua’s population is 9.1% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of 577,947.
Surface area
🇸🇻 El Salvador21,040 km²
🇳🇮 Nicaragua130,370 km²
Nicaragua’s surface area is 520% larger than that of El Salvador, a difference of 109,330 km².
Population density
🇸🇻 El Salvador301 /km²
🇳🇮 Nicaragua53.1 /km²
El Salvador’s population density is 468% higher than that of Nicaragua, a difference of 248 /km².
Nominal GDP
🇸🇻 El Salvador$35.36 billion · 2024
🇳🇮 Nicaragua$19.69 billion · 2024
El Salvador’s nominal GDP is 80% larger than that of Nicaragua, a difference of $15.67 billion.
GDP per capita
🇸🇻 El Salvador$5,580 · 2024
🇳🇮 Nicaragua$2,848 · 2024
El Salvador’s GDP per capita is 96% higher than that of Nicaragua, a difference of $2,732.
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
Managua
Population
6,338,193
6,916,140
Surface area
21,040 km²
130,370 km²
Population density
301 /km²
53.1 /km²
Nominal GDP
$35.36 billion · 2024
$19.69 billion · 2024
GDP per capita
$5,580 · 2024
$2,848 · 2024
Region
Americas
Americas
Subregion
Central America
Central America
Currency
United States dollar · USD · $
Nicaraguan córdoba · NIO · C$
Nationality
Salvadoran
Nicaraguan
Phone code
+503
+505
Internet domain
.sv
.ni
ISO codes
SV / SLV
NI / NIC
Time zone
America/El_Salvador
America/Managua
Native name
El Salvador
Nicaragua
| Measure | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | San Salvador | Managua |
| Population | 6,338,193 | 6,916,140 |
| Surface area | 21,040 km² | 130,370 km² |
| Population density | 301 /km² | 53.1 /km² |
| Nominal GDP | $35.36 billion · 2024 | $19.69 billion · 2024 |
| GDP per capita | $5,580 · 2024 | $2,848 · 2024 |
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Subregion | Central America | Central America |
| Currency | United States dollar · USD · $ | Nicaraguan córdoba · NIO · C$ |
| Nationality | Salvadoran | Nicaraguan |
| Phone code | +503 | +505 |
| Internet domain | .sv | .ni |
| ISO codes | SV / SLV | NI / NIC |
| Time zone | America/El_Salvador | America/Managua |
| Native name | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
Compare a different pair
Keep one country, change both, or start a completely new comparison.
Country overviews
AI-assisted profile prose · methodologyAbout 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 Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the largest country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.
Full Nicaragua profile →El Salvador & Nicaragua: 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 Nicaragua?
The capital of Nicaragua is Managua.
What is the population of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a recorded population of approximately 6,916,140 people.
How big is Nicaragua?
Nicaragua covers an area of about 130,370 km².
What is the population density of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a population density of roughly 53.1 /km² (people per square kilometre).
What is the GDP of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $19.69 billion as of 2024.
What is the GDP per capita of Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of approximately $2,848.
What currency is used in Nicaragua?
Nicaragua uses the Nicaraguan córdoba (NIO), with the symbol C$.
Where is Nicaragua located?
Nicaragua is located in Central America, Americas.
What are people from Nicaragua called?
People from Nicaragua are referred to as Nicaraguan.
What is the phone calling code for Nicaragua?
The international dialing code for Nicaragua is +505.
What is the internet domain for Nicaragua?
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Nicaragua is .ni.
What time zone is Nicaragua in?
Nicaragua uses the America/Managua time zone.
What is Nicaragua known for?
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the largest country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.