# San Miguel Department, El Salvador – Population

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-miguel/

Department · El Salvador 

# San Miguel Department

San Miguel Department is a department of El Salvador. It had an estimated **464,302 people** in 2024 on 2,073 km² (about 224 per km²). Its main town is San Miguel. It is divided into 3 municipalities. 645 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 973 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 464,302people (2024)
- 2,073km²
- 3municipalities
- 973mapped services

## How many people live in San Miguel Department?

San Miguel Department had an estimated **464,302 people** in 2024 — 7.3% of El Salvador, 5th of 14 departments. There are 1,146 women for every 1,000 men (close to the El Salvador figure of 1,142). Spread over 2,073 km², that is about **224 people per km²**, 8th of 14 departments.

27.2% of people are children under 15 and 9.1% are 65 or older; the median age is about 27 years (it is 29 across El Salvador). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 57 children and older people.

0–4 ****39,967**

5–9 ****42,789**

10–14 ****43,741**

15–19 ****43,391**

20–24 ****44,008**

25–29 ****44,047**

30–34 ****37,996**

35–39 ****29,742**

40–44 ****24,862**

45–49 ****21,199**

50–54 ****19,853**

55–59 ****16,457**

60–64 ****14,010**

65–69 ****11,993**

70–74 ****10,122**

75–79 ****8,243**

80+ ****11,882**

Source: [El Salvador UNFPA country office and Dirección General de Estarística y Censos (DIGESTYC) via OCHA HDX, population 2024 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-slv).

## Where is San Miguel Department?

San Miguel Department lies in [El Salvador](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/). It borders 5 other departments: [Cabañas Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/cabanas/), [La Unión Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/la-union/), [Morazán Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/morazan/), [San Vicente Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-vicente/) and [Usulután Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/usulutan/). By area it is the largest of 14 departments in El Salvador. It covers 10.2% of [El Salvador](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/). The centre of San Miguel Department is about 108 km in a straight line from San Salvador, the capital. The centre point is at 13.5291° N, 88.1985° W.

Source: [National mapping agency via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-slv).

## Things to see in and around San Miguel Department

OpenStreetMap lists 20 named sights in San Miguel Department: 9 nature reserves; 3 volcanos; 3 attractions; 2 museums; 2 memorials; 1 cave.

- East Regional Museum · museum
- Museo Regional de Oriente · museum
- Reserva Natural, Alcaldía Municipal de San Miguel · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Isla de Olomeguita · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Laguna El Jocotal · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Laguna de Olomega · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Las Moritas · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida San Antonio Silva · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida San Juan Mercedes Silva · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Volcán de San Miguel (en proceso) · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida del Bosque Chilanguera · nature reserve
- Ausoles La Viejona · attraction
- El Delirio · attraction
- La posada de los pajaros · attraction
- Chaparrastique · volcano
- Cuevas de Moncagua · cave
- Estatua del Dr. Antonio Rosales · memorial
- Laguna de Aramuaca · volcano
- OBELISCO · memorial
- Volcán de Chinameca · volcano

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: San Miguel Department

- Time zoneUTC−6, no daylight saving · America/El_Salvador
- CurrencyDollar (USD)
- Country calling code+503
- LanguagesSpanish
- Plug typesType A, B · 115 V
- Driving sideRight
- Postcode format6 characters (CP ####)

### Nearest airports

- El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (SAL) · San Salvador (San Luis Talpa)93 km
- Ilopango International Airport (ILS) · San Salvador101 km

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.9 hours, sunrise around 05:25) and shortest in Dec (about 11.3 hours, sunrise around 06:07, sunset around 17:27).

Month Sunrise Sunset Daylight 

Jan 06:19 17:43 11.4 h 

Feb 06:16 17:57 11.7 h 

Mar 06:01 18:03 12.0 h 

Apr 05:40 18:05 12.4 h 

May 05:26 18:11 12.7 h 

Jun 05:25 18:20 12.9 h 

Jul 05:32 18:24 12.9 h 

Aug 05:40 18:15 12.6 h 

Sep 05:41 17:54 12.2 h 

Oct 05:42 17:33 11.8 h 

Nov 05:52 17:23 11.5 h 

Dec 06:07 17:27 11.3 h 

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Municipalities of San Miguel Department

Municipality Area km² Districts Services 

[San Miguel Centro](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-miguel/san-miguel-centro/) 1,016 6 850 

[San Miguel Norte](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-miguel/san-miguel-norte/) 719 8 59 

[San Miguel Oeste](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-miguel/san-miguel-oeste/) 338 6 64 

Source: [National mapping agency via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-slv); [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

## Largest towns in San Miguel Department

- San Miguel247,126
- San Rafael Oriente19,095
- El Tránsito9,485
- Chinameca8,646
- Ciudad Barrios8,491
- Chirilagua6,393
- Nueva Guadalupe5,798
- Chapeltique3,159
- Lolotique2,654
- Moncagua2,148
- Sesori1,390

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above.

## Landscape and landmarks of San Miguel Department

Named natural and historic features inside San Miguel Department, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

43 rivers and streams; 6 lakes.

- Brazo La Pezota
- Brazo del Río Grande
- Desagüe Madre de la Laguna de San Juan
- Desagüe de La Laguna de Olomega
- Laguna El Jocotal
- Laguna Olomega
- Laguna de Aramuaca
- Laguna de San Juan
- Laguneta Agua Caliente
- Laguneta El Coco
- Quebrada Pozo Azul
- Río Amates
- Río Aramuaca
- Río Chapeltique
- Río Chilanguera
- Río Chiquito
- Río Chorosco
- Río Don Gaspar
- Río Dos Aguas
- Río El Bastón
- Río El Carmen
- Río El Corozal
- Río El Guayabal
- Río El Huiscoyol

…and 25 more.

### Coast and islands

6 headlands; 2 islands.

- Isla Olomega
- Isla Olomeguita
- Punta Cujinicuil
- Punta El Carreto
- Punta El Roble
- Punta Pelada
- Punta de Sueño
- Punta del Carreto

### Hills and mountains

80 hills; 54 mountains; 2 valleys; 1 mountain pass.

- Cerro El Limbo · 1,012 m
- Cerro Nariz del Diablo · 752 m
- Cerro Panela · 729 m
- Cerro Buena Vista · 697 m
- Cerro El Limón · 695 m
- Cerro El Duende · 666 m
- Cerro El Arco · 655 m
- Loma El Chayal · 650 m
- Cerro Apapuerta · 648 m
- Cerro San Joaquín · 645 m
- Cerro El Capulín · 624 m
- Cerro Lomo de Caballo · 603 m
- Cerro Madrecacao · 594 m
- Cerro Belén · 591 m
- Cerro El Bufador · 581 m
- Cerro La Güegüecha · 558 m
- Cerro Mico Peinado · 556 m
- Cerro El Zope · 523 m
- Loma La Rosquilla · 503 m
- Valle La Esperanza · 495 m
- Cerro El Panecito · 489 m
- Cerro El Nispero · 475 m
- Cerro El Cristo · 467 m
- Loma El Talquezal · 460 m

…and 113 more.

### Getting around

2 railway stations; 1 airfield.

- El Platanar
- Estación Calle Nueva
- Estación El Amate

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in San Miguel Department and the best time to visit

In San Miguel Department, the warmest month is Apr (average 29 °C) and the coolest is Nov (26 °C). About 1,271 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Sep (246 mm) and the driest Jan (3 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **November to February**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 27 3 

Feb 28 3 

Mar 29 6 

Apr 29 34 

May 28 190 

Jun 27 199 

Jul 27 136 

Aug 27 186 

Sep 26 246 

Oct 26 215 

Nov 26 41 

Dec 26 10 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Hospitals, banks and other services in San Miguel Department

Places mapped inside San Miguel Department in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.

- Hospitals45
- Banks49
- ATMs2
- Petrol pumps47
- Hotels98
- Shopping malls29
- Schools95
- Colleges and universities21
- Cinemas2
- Pharmacies81
- Restaurants410
- Police stations24
- Dental clinics70

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers

- Where is San Miguel Department?In El Salvador
- What is the population of San Miguel Department?464,302 (2024 estimate)
- What is the median age in San Miguel Department?About 27 years (2024 estimate)
- What is the population density of San Miguel Department?About 224 people per km²
- What borders San Miguel Department?Cabañas Department, La Unión Department, Morazán Department, San Vicente Department and Usulután Department
- What is there to see in San Miguel Department?Ausoles La Viejona, Chaparrastique, Cuevas de Moncagua, East Regional Museum
- What time zone is San Miguel Department in?UTC−6
- What currency is used in San Miguel Department?Dollar (USD)
- What language is spoken in San Miguel Department?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- What is the largest town in San Miguel Department?San Miguel
- What is the highest point in San Miguel Department?Cerro El Limbo (1,012 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit San Miguel Department?November to February
- How many hospitals are in San Miguel Department?45 mapped
- How many banks are in San Miguel Department?49 mapped
- How many ATMs are in San Miguel Department?2 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in San Miguel Department?47 mapped
- What is the P-code of San Miguel Department?SV09 (OCHA common operational dataset)