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El Salvador vs Mexico: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 173 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

El Salvador
slv
Leads on 53 of 173 metrics
Mexico
mex
Leads on 113 of 173 metrics

Summary

Mexico has 20.8 times as many people as El Salvador (133.03 million vs 6.39 million). Mexico's economy is 55.5 times the size of El Salvador's ($2.29 trillion vs $41.29 billion GDP).

Comparing El Salvador and Mexico: El Salvador leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (52,000) against Mexico (1.98); El Salvador leads on Televisions (600,000) against Mexico (25.60); El Salvador leads on Oil Consumption (47,000) against Mexico (2.07). Across 173 compared metrics, El Salvador wins on 53 and Mexico wins on 113.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 65 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 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🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.46 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants21.74 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)66.48 %83.12 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)67.66 %81.18 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 68% (2023 est.)percent of population: 81% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.46 Mbps21.74 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score41.19 points45.55 points★
Radios2.7531★
Televisions600,000★25.6
Waterways4222,900★

Economy

65 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $69.44B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars41.29B $2.29T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.34 %24.12 %★
Apple Import Volume21.08M tonnes246.26M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate43.4 %53.03 %★
Coal Revenue00.03★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.47 %7.34 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP★5.4 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index65.386.1★
Electricity Consumption5.93258.7★
Electricity Exports89.6★7.31
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4971★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants23★17
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels02★
Electricity from Other Renewables29★9
Electricity Imports1.073.53★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.9872.56★
Electricity Production5.83302.7★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)24.42 USD per capita57.54 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate53.29 %★51.88 %
Gender Pay Gap Percentage-7.06 %0.01 %★
Gender Wage Gap-7.06 %★0.01 %
Gini Index Coefficient39.843.5★
Gross Fixed Investment14.721.5★
Gross National Saving14.921.4★
High-Tech Export Percentage18.03 %78.22 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries12,050.03 USD21,911.93 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.4 %★0.2 %
Inflation Rate0.26 %★3.81 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.9 %★4.7 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.9 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption081.61★
Natural Gas Exports036.81★
Natural Gas Imports050.12★
Natural Gas Production031.57★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves0279.8★
Oil Consumption47,000★2.07
Oil Exports3,825★1.51
Oil Imports45,570496,000★
Oil Production443★2.98
Oil Proved Reserves010.42★
Population Below Poverty Line26.6 people★36.3 people
Private Investment (% of GDP)24.11 % of GDP★19.21 % of GDP
Public Debt102.245.1★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.1 %0.27 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD★1.5 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption52,000★1.98
Refined Petroleum Products Exports347155,800★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,280867,500★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0844,600★
Remittances24★3.7
Researchers in R&D per Million55.47 researchers419.44 researchers★
Revenue from Forest Resources0.6★0.1
Robotics Research Funding0.1 USD0.27 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)5.212.33★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)21.8 %14.82 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)21.8 % of GDP★14.82 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues20.7★14.2
Top Exporting Countries11.59B USD681.35B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.08 %2.35 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP3.52 %8.54 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)3.52 %8.54 %★
Unemployment Rate2.9 %2.8 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate62.11 %61.61 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate7.81 %5.71 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)302,409★2.73M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate836.01 %★-127,765.63 %
Average Annual Temperature27.06 °C★21.68 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.69★441.05
Global Precipitation Distribution1,357.93 mm★809.08 mm
Population Distributionhigh population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvadormost of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City
Protected Land Area for Adaptation8.21 sq km15.55 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage8.3 %15.3 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.15 Cubic meters per year150 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources26.27461.89★
Total Threatened Mammal Species6 species★97 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.75 %★1.86 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113.61★52.44
Agricultural land11,957 sq. km1.04M sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km20,7201.94M★
Coastline Length (km)307 km9,330 km★
Dam capacity per capita612.17 cubic meters per inhabitant1,145.45 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land24059,910★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Rule of Law Index by Country45.49 %★17.92 %
Administrative Divisions1432★
Corruption Perception Index30 index26 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score30 index★26 index
Independence1516★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.076.13★
Prison Population Rate572 per 100,000169 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception3026★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Average BMI for Adults26.8 kg/m²27.5 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %★80 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)30.46★93.57
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.716.4★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders72.3 years75.26 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.81 per 1,000 births0.64 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,504.96 USD1,579.68 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score79 score79 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP★6.1 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy72.3 years75.26 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %0.4 %★
Hospital Bed Density1.2 people/sq km★1 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita1.2 beds per 1,000★1.01 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence10.22 %10.15 %★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.01 cases per 1,000★0.21 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)39 %★42 %
Mean Age at First Birth20.821.3★
Nurses and Midwives Density2.18 per 1,000 people3.03 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.6 %★28.9 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending32.49 %★41.24 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS25,000★340,000
Total Number of Doctors1.572.59★
Underweight Children Under 554.2★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Active Military Personnel25,000 personnel216,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.34 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)42,000341,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Currently married (Percent)51.09 %51.87 %★
Human Capital Index0.550.63★
Life expectancy at birth77.5 years80.06 years★
Median age of population28.32 years29.96 years★
Population Change30,252 persons1.20M persons★
Population density308.55 per sq. km67.89 per sq. km★
Total population6.39M persons133.03M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.170.71★
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-A★A
Beer Consumption per Capita1.5 liters4.55 liters★
Birth Rate (%)12.46 %14.73 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate71.9 %73.1 %★
Crude Birth Rate15.6 per 1,000 people★15.46 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.93 %★6.04 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP4.1 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.78M persons35.92M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)37.9 %52.44 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.46 %21.74 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.63 male/female★103.66 male/female
Human Development Index0.370.43★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.8960.96★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.66 years★9.01 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.12 people22.28 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)169.77★169.01
Mean Years of Schooling8.1 years10.18 years★
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio11.98 %11.9 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization76.77 %77.59 %★
Physician Density1.62 people/sq km2.59 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.34 %0.81 %★
Population living in slums12.54 %15.76 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio28.2726.55★
Total deaths44,862.2 persons★685,869.9 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.77 %62.6 %★
Total fertility rate1.74 per woman1.84 per woman★
Total net-migration-22,086.1 persons★-98,968.7 persons
Under-five mortality rate10.53 per live births★11.69 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.04 %1.19 %★
Voting Age Population70.29 millions★63.72 millions

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.180.48★
Airports271,580★
Civil Air Travel7186★
Heliports2★1

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇲🇽 MexicoShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita3.92B USD36.24B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About El Salvador vs Mexico

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

Mexico. Mexico has 20.8 times as many people as El Salvador (133.03 million vs 6.39 million). Data for 2026.

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

Mexico. Mexico's economy is 55.5 times the size of El Salvador's ($2.29 trillion vs $41.29 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

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

Mexico is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $17,235 in Mexico vs $6,459 in El Salvador (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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