El Salvador vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Malaysia has 5.7 times as many people as El Salvador (36.4 million vs 6.39 million). Malaysia's economy is 11.3 times the size of El Salvador's ($466.53 billion vs $41.29 billion GDP).

Comparing El Salvador and Malaysia: El Salvador leads on Televisions (600,000) against Malaysia (10.80); Malaysia leads on Oil Production (664,800) against El Salvador (443); Malaysia leads on Refined Petroleum Products Exports (208,400) against El Salvador (347). Across 172 compared metrics, El Salvador wins on 45 and Malaysia wins on 121.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.46 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)66.48 %98.02 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)67.66 %97.69 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 68% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.46 Mbps13.55 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score41.19 points56.09 points★
Radios2.7510.9★
Televisions600,000★10.8
Waterways4227,200★

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $47.38B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars41.29B $466.53B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.34 %21.95 %★
Apple Import Volume21.08M tonnes101.62M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate43.4 %88.69 %★
Coal Revenue00.02★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.47 %★4.61 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index65.383.3★
Electricity Consumption5.93136.9★
Electricity Exports89.6★3
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4978★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants23★18
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables29★4
Electricity Imports1.0733★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.9833★
Electricity Production5.83148.3★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)24.42 USD per capita113.16 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate53.29 %56.67 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-1.03 %★-2.25 %
Gender Wage Gap-1.03 %-2.25 %★
Gini Index Coefficient39.840.7★
Gross Fixed Investment14.725.2★
Gross National Saving14.928.5★
High-Tech Export Percentage18.03 %63.18 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries12,050.03 USD35,461.45 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.4 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate0.26 %★1.38 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.9 %★1.8 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★1 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption030.44★
Natural Gas Exports038.23★
Natural Gas Imports02.8★
Natural Gas Production069.49★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18★
Oil Consumption47,000561,000★
Oil Exports3,825644,900★
Oil Imports45,570355,300★
Oil Production443664,800★
Oil Proved Reserves04★
Population Below Poverty Line26.6 people6.2 people★
Private Investment (% of GDP)24.11 % of GDP★16.45 % of GDP
Public Debt102.264.3★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.14 %1.01 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD5.1 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption52,000704,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports347208,400★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,280304,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300★
Remittances24★0.4
Researchers in R&D per Million57.62 researchers1,218.33 researchers★
Revenue from Forest Resources0.61.57★
Robotics Research Funding0.14 USD1.01 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)5.130.01★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)21.8 %12.43 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★12.43 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues20.7★12.6
Top Exporting Countries11.59B USD301.22B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.01 %3.69 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.52 %6.53 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.52 %6.53 %★
Unemployment Rate2.9 %★3.9 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.11 %★66.12 %
Youth Unemployment Rate7.81 %★11.95 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)302,409★13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate836.01 %★-60,000 %
Average Annual Temperature27.06 °C★25.87 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.69★260.01
Global Precipitation Distribution1,357.93 mm3,150.09 mm★
Population Distributionhigh population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvadora highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation8.21 sq km13.3 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage8.3 %13.3 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.15 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources26.27580★
Total Threatened Mammal Species6 species★80 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.75 %★4.11 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113.61209.87★
Agricultural land11,957 sq. km85,710 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km20,720328,550★
Coastline Length (km)307 km4,675 km★
Dam capacity per capita612.17 cubic meters per inhabitant★611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land2404,420★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country45.49 %67.87 %★
Administrative Divisions14★13
Corruption Perception Index30 index★50 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score30 index50 index★
Independence1531★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.07★-2.46
Prison Population Rate572 per 100,000206 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception30★50
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Average BMI for Adults26.8 kg/m²★25.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %96 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)30.4617.9★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.721.1★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders72.3 years76.82 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.81 per 1,000 births0.48 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,504.96 USD1,703.34 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score79 score80 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP★4.4 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy72.3 years76.82 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %0.3 %★
Hospital Bed Density1.2 people/sq km2 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.21 beds per 1,0001.96 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence10.22 %★13.81 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.01 cases per 1,000★0.21 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)39 %26 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.18 per 1,000 people4.03 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.6 %15.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending32.49 %★37.09 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS25,000★92,000
Total Number of Doctors1.622.34★
Underweight Children Under 55★15.3

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Active Military Personnel25,000 personnel113,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.34 %1.04 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)42,000136,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.09 %58.88 %★
Human Capital Index0.550.65★
Life expectancy at birth77.5 years80.87 years★
Median age of population28.32 years31.44 years★
Population Change30,252 persons428,622.9 persons★
Population density308.55 per sq. km110.8 per sq. km★
Total population6.39M persons36.40M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.170.29★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★AA
Beer Consumption per Capita1.5 liters★0.51 liters
Birth Rate (%)12.46 %14.05 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate71.9 %★52.2 %
Crude Birth Rate15.6 per 1,000 people★12.36 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.93 %5.8 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP3.5 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.78M persons9.69M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)37.9 %45.85 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.46 %13.55 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.63 male/female106.37 male/female★
Human Development Index0.370.48★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.8918.26★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.66 years9.72 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.12 people8.62 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.77★167.88
Mean Years of Schooling8.1 years11.96 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1821★
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio11.98 %10.6 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization76.77 %83.21 %★
Physician Density1.62 people/sq km2.34 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.34 %0.97 %★
Population living in slums12.54 %★0.2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio28.2711.66★
Total deaths44,862.2 persons★179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.77 %★42.17 %
Total fertility rate1.74 per woman★1.53 per woman
Total net-migration-22,086.1 persons162,673.4 persons★
Under-five mortality rate10.53 per live births5.53 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.04 %1.79 %★
Voting Age Population58.4 millions62.14 millions★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.181.58★
Airports27100★
Civil Air Travel753★
Heliports24★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita3.92B USD24.59B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About El Salvador vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, El Salvador or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 5.7 times as many people as El Salvador (36.4 million vs 6.39 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, El Salvador or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 11.3 times the size of El Salvador's ($466.53 billion vs $41.29 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, El Salvador or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $6,459 in El Salvador (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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