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El Salvador vs Nicaragua: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 108 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

El Salvador
slv
Leads on 43 of 108 metrics
Nicaragua
nic
Leads on 50 of 108 metrics

Summary

Comparing El Salvador and Nicaragua: Nicaragua leads on Electricity Imports (205) against El Salvador (1.07); Nicaragua leads on Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country (59 Cubic meters per year) against El Salvador (6.15 Cubic meters per year); Nicaragua leads on Industrial Production Growth Rate (%) (3.60 %) against El Salvador (0.40 %). Across 108 compared metrics, El Salvador wins on 43 and Nicaragua wins on 50.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 10 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 29 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)67.66 %★58.23 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 68% (2023 est.)percent of population: 58% (2023 est.)
Press Freedom Index Score41.19 points★22.83 points
Radios2.75★1.24
Televisions600,000★320,000
Waterways4222,220★

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country1.68B $3.05B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars41.29B $★23.03B $
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)6.47 %10.8 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.1 % of GDP8.6 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index65.379.6★
Electricity Consumption5.93★3.59
Electricity Exports89.6★17.87
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4956★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants23★9
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables2935★
Electricity Imports1.07205★
Electricity Installed Capacity1.98★1.55
Electricity Production5.83★4.45
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)24.42 USD per capita★10.66 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient38.846.2★
Gross Fixed Investment14.734.1★
Gross National Saving14.924★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0.4 %3.6 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)0.9 %★4.6 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1.2 % of GDP★0.5 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption00
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports00
Natural Gas Production00
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption47,000★30,000
Oil Exports3,825★742
Oil Imports45,570★30,290
Oil Production443★377
Oil Proved Reserves00
Population Below Poverty Line26.6 people24.9 people★
Public Debt102.233.3★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.6 USD3.6 USD★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption52,000★37,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports347460★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,280★20,120
Refined Petroleum Products Production014,720★
Remittances2426.6★
Revenue from Forest Resources0.61.26★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)6.956.57★
Taxes and Other Revenues20.7★19.9
Unemployment Rate2.9 %★4.6 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)302,409202,047★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.693.81★
Population Distributionhigh population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvadorthe overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.15 Cubic meters per year59 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources26.27164.52★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization10.75 %★1.3 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)113.61★91.02
Agricultural land11,957 sq. km51,008 sq. km★
Coastline Length (km)307 km910 km★
Dam capacity per capita612.17 cubic meters per inhabitant4,510.25 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land2401,990★

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country45.49 %★8.26 %
Administrative Divisions1415★
Independence1515
Suffrage Participation Rate18★16

Health

10 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)30.46★54.04
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)12.7★10.4
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP9.7 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.5 %0.3 %★
Hospital Bed Density1.2 people/sq km★0.9 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)39 %★60 %
Mean Age at First Birth20.8★19.2
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)24.6 %23.7 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS25,00012,000★
Underweight Children Under 554.6★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)42,000★12,000

People and Society

29 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Currently married (Percent)51.09 %55.88 %★
Human Capital Index0.55★0.51
Life expectancy at birth77.5 years79.4 years★
Median age of population28.32 years★26.32 years
Population Change30,252 persons96,292.6 persons★
Population density308.55 per sq. km58.98 per sq. km★
Total population6.39M persons7.10M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.17★0.02
Birth Rate (%)12.46 %16.07 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate71.9 %80.4 %★
Death Rate (%)5.93 %5.14 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.2 % of GDP★2.9 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age1.78M persons1.96M persons★
Labor Force Participation Rate2.893.23★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.66 years★5.8 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.12 people★1.1 people
Mean Male Height (cm)169.77★166.71
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization76.77 %★64.75 %
Physician Density1.62 people/sq km★0.68 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.34 %0.92 %★
Population living in slums12.54 %★3.87 %
Total deaths44,862.2 persons27,821.9 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)59.77 %64.82 %★
Total fertility rate1.74 per woman2.16 per woman★
Total net-migration-22,086.1 persons-7,437.7 persons★
Under-five mortality rate10.53 per live births★11.96 per live births

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇸🇻 El Salvador🇳🇮 NicaraguaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.18★0.05
Airports2739★
Civil Air Travel79★

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El Salvador vs Nicaragua: Compare Key Statistics and Facts | Geo Factbook