# San Salvador Department, El Salvador – Population

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

Department · El Salvador 

# San Salvador Department

San Salvador Department is a department of El Salvador. It had an estimated **1,729,479 people** in 2024 on 924 km² (about 1,872 per km²). Its main town is San Salvador. It is divided into 6 municipalities. 1,857 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 3,616 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 1,729,479people (2024)
- 924km²
- 6municipalities
- 3,616mapped services

## How many people live in San Salvador Department?

San Salvador Department had an estimated **1,729,479 people** in 2024 — 27.2% of El Salvador, the most populous of 14 departments. There are 1,192 women for every 1,000 men (above the El Salvador figure of 1,142). Spread over 924 km², that is about **1,872 people per km²**, the most densely populated of 14 departments.

19.8% of people are children under 15 and 11.4% are 65 or older; the median age is about 34 years (it is 29 across El Salvador). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 45 children and older people.

0–4 ****107,036**

5–9 ****115,309**

10–14 ****119,789**

15–19 ****130,018**

20–24 ****140,092**

25–29 ****149,012**

30–34 ****143,913**

35–39 ****125,287**

40–44 ****115,299**

45–49 ****110,323**

50–54 ****104,351**

55–59 ****93,947**

60–64 ****78,244**

65–69 ****61,688**

70–74 ****49,148**

75–79 ****36,224**

80+ ****49,799**

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 Salvador Department?

San Salvador Department lies in [El Salvador](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/). It borders 4 other departments: [Chalatenango Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/chalatenango/), [Cuscatlán Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/cuscatlan/), [La Libertad Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/la-libertad/) and [La Paz Department](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/la-paz/). By area it is the 13th largest of 14 departments in El Salvador. It covers 4.5% of [El Salvador](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/). The centre point is at 13.7629° N, 89.1570° 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 Salvador Department

OpenStreetMap lists 124 named sights in San Salvador Department: 47 monuments; 18 beachs; 16 memorials; 13 museums; 8 viewpoints; 7 nature reserves; 6 attractions; 2 galleries; 2 archaeological sites; 1 theme park; 1 zoo; 1 ruins; 1 cave; 1 volcano.

- Ex Casa Presidencial · museum
- Museo Forma · museum
- Museo Universitario de Antropología · museum
- Museo de Cihuatán · museum
- Museo de Historia Militar "Cuartel El Zapote" · museum
- Museo de Historia Natural de El Salvador · museum
- Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen · museum
- Museo de los Niños "Tin Marín" · museum
- Museo y Biblioteca Luis Alfaro Durán · museum
- National Palace of El Salvador · museum
- PInacoteca Roque Dalton · museum
- Railway Museum · museum
- Sala Nacional de Exposiciones Salarrue · museum
- Complejo Arqueológico Cihuatán · archaeological site
- Pyramid · archaeological site
- Parque Chantecuán · nature reserve
- Parque Miguel de Cervantes · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida El Mirador · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Las Mercedes · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Piedras Tontas · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida San Francisco Dos Cerros · nature reserve
- Área Natural Protegida Santa María · nature reserve
- La Puntona · beach
- Punta Acayo · beach
- Punta Anones · beach
- Punta Chaltipa · beach
- Punta Champaloma · beach
- Punta Cinco Tiros · beach
- Punta Cuachimalco · beach
- Punta Cumasaya · beach

…and 94 more.

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 Salvador 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

- Ilopango International Airport (ILS) · San Salvador8.1 km
- El Salvador International Airport Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (SAL) · San Salvador (San Luis Talpa)37 km

### Nearest railway station

FENADESAL (San Salvador), about 7.1 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.9 hours, sunrise around 05:28) and shortest in Dec (about 11.3 hours, sunrise around 06:12, sunset around 17:31).

Month Sunrise Sunset Daylight 

Jan 06:23 17:47 11.4 h 

Feb 06:20 18:01 11.7 h 

Mar 06:05 18:07 12.0 h 

Apr 05:44 18:09 12.4 h 

May 05:30 18:15 12.8 h 

Jun 05:28 18:24 12.9 h 

Jul 05:36 18:28 12.9 h 

Aug 05:43 18:19 12.6 h 

Sep 05:45 17:58 12.2 h 

Oct 05:46 17:37 11.8 h 

Nov 05:56 17:26 11.5 h 

Dec 06:12 17:31 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 Salvador Department

Municipality Area km² Districts Services 

[Lago de Llopango](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/lago-de-llopango/) 60 1 0 

[San Salvador Centro](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/san-salvador-centro/) 130 5 2,801 

[San Salvador Este](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/san-salvador-este/) 165 4 442 

[San Salvador Norte](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/san-salvador-norte/) 220 3 62 

[San Salvador Oeste](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/san-salvador-oeste/) 149 2 216 

[San Salvador Sur](https://wherepedia.org/el-salvador/san-salvador/san-salvador-sur/) 199 5 95 

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 Salvador Department

- San Salvador525,990
- Soyapango329,708
- Mejicanos160,317
- Apopa112,158
- Delgado71,594
- San Marcos54,615
- Cuscatancingo44,369
- Ilopango38,890
- Ayutuxtepeque25,426
- Aguilares21,445
- Santo Tomás14,581
- Guazapa10,995
- Panchimalco6,764
- Tonacatepeque6,245
- Rosario de Mora5,178

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 Salvador Department

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

### Water

64 rivers and streams; 1 lake.

- Arenal Tutunichapa
- Lago de Ilopango
- Quebrada Celis
- Quebrada El Almendro
- Quebrada El Amatón
- Quebrada El Cañón del Tanque
- Quebrada El Chorro
- Quebrada El Curtidor
- Quebrada El Níspero
- Quebrada El Velorio
- Quebrada El Zapote
- Quebrada Guacaltite
- Quebrada Joya Grande
- Quebrada Las Lajas
- Quebrada Los Coyoles
- Quebrada San Lucas
- Río Acelhuate
- Río Acelhuate
- Río Acelhuate
- Río Chagüite
- Río Chamulapa
- Río Chantecuán
- Río Chutia
- Río Cuapa

…and 41 more.

### Coast and islands

6 headlands; 3 islands.

- Cerro Los Patos
- Isla Cerro Los Patos
- Isla Portillón
- Punta Cumasaya
- Punta Cutaliya
- Punta La Puntona
- Punta Peña del Eco
- Punta Zacatepeque
- Punta de Tenango

### Hills and mountains

27 hills; 5 mountains; 1 peak.

- Cerro El Picacho · 1,931 m
- Loma El Castillo · 1,234 m
- Loma Grande · 1,169 m
- Plan del Pito · 1,143 m
- Cerro San Jacinto · 1,137 m
- Loma Larga · 996 m
- Cerro El Mirador · 942 m
- Cerro Chulo · 904 m
- Loma El Mirador · 847 m
- Loma El Morro · 847 m
- Cerro de Nejapa · 839 m
- Cerro Guayama · 783 m
- Cerro Chuchutepeque · 709 m
- Cerro Las Delicias · 709 m
- Cerro La Cruz · 688 m
- Loma Cuesta del Burro · 661 m
- Cerro Milingo · 643 m
- Cerro El Carmen · 638 m
- Cerro Ojo de Agua · 603 m
- Cerro Guaycume · 524 m
- Cerro Tecuán · 522 m
- Cerro Picudo · 507 m
- Cerro Las Tunas · 489 m
- Cerro Cinotepec · 462 m

…and 9 more.

### Forests and nature

35 parks.

- Parque Balboa
- Parque Centenario
- Parque Colonia Buenos Aires
- Parque Colonia Centroamérica
- Parque Colonia Maquilishuat
- Parque Colonia Miramonte
- Parque Colonia Monpegón
- Parque Cuscatlán
- Parque El Roble
- Parque Felipe Soto
- Parque Infantil
- Parque La Cima I
- Parque Lomas de Versalles
- Parque Profesor Álvarez Pineda
- Parque Saburo Hirao
- Parque San José
- Parque San José
- Parque Simón Bolívar
- Plaza Argentina
- Plaza Baden Powell
- Plaza Beethoven
- Plaza Brasil
- Plaza Constitución
- Plaza Cívica

…and 11 more.

### History

1 ruin; 1 palace.

- Palacio Nacional
- Ruinas de Sihuatán

### Getting around

2 airfields; 1 airport.

- Ilopango International Airport
- La Cabana
- Las Mesas Airport

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 Salvador Department and the best time to visit

In San Salvador Department, the warmest month is Apr (average 27 °C) and the coolest is Nov (22 °C). About 1,298 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Sep (240 mm) and the driest Feb (9 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **November to April**.

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

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 23 10 

Feb 24 9 

Mar 26 10 

Apr 27 35 

May 26 161 

Jun 24 202 

Jul 25 175 

Aug 24 213 

Sep 24 240 

Oct 23 179 

Nov 22 47 

Dec 22 17 

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

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

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

- Hospitals259
- Banks192
- ATMs12
- Petrol pumps229
- Hotels168
- Shopping malls138
- Schools291
- Colleges and universities93
- Cinemas11
- Pharmacies325
- Restaurants1,519
- Police stations49
- Dental clinics330

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 Salvador Department?In El Salvador
- What is the population of San Salvador Department?1,729,479 (2024 estimate)
- What is the median age in San Salvador Department?About 34 years (2024 estimate)
- What is the population density of San Salvador Department?About 1,872 people per km²
- What borders San Salvador Department?Chalatenango Department, Cuscatlán Department, La Libertad Department and La Paz Department
- What is there to see in San Salvador Department?Arbol de la Paz, Busto a San Juan Bosco, Busto de barón Pierre de Coubertin, Caballos
- What time zone is San Salvador Department in?UTC−6
- What currency is used in San Salvador Department?Dollar (USD)
- What language is spoken in San Salvador Department?Spanish (main languages nationally)
- What is the largest town in San Salvador Department?San Salvador
- What is the highest point in San Salvador Department?Cerro El Picacho (1,931 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit San Salvador Department?November to April
- How many hospitals are in San Salvador Department?259 mapped
- How many banks are in San Salvador Department?192 mapped
- How many ATMs are in San Salvador Department?12 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in San Salvador Department?229 mapped
- What is the P-code of San Salvador Department?SV10 (OCHA common operational dataset)