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Demographics of El Salvador |
| Demographics of El Salvador | |
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| San Salvador, capital and largest city of El Salvador | |
| Population | 7,066,403 (2008 est.)1 |
| Male population | 3,440,918 |
| Female population | 3,625,485 |
| Population growth | 1.68% |
| Birth rate | 25.72/1,000 |
| Death rate | 5.53/1,000 |
| Infant mortality rate | 22.19/1,000 |
| Life expectancy | 72.1 years |
| Nationality | Salvadoran |
| Demographic bureaus | INEC |
El Salvador's population numbers about 7,066,403 with 90% identifying as Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish).2 9% of the Salvadoran population are White including Spanish, French, Lebanese, Syrian, Turkish, Swiss, German, and Italian descendants. About 1% is of indigenous origin (Pipil). Very few Amerindians have retained their customs and traditions, having over time assimilated into the dominant Mestizo/Spanish culture.3
The low numbers of indigenous people may be partly explained by La Matanza in 1932 which saw (estimates of) up to 30,000 peasants killed in a short period of time (nowadays this would be considered a genocide by the army's methods to exterminate a certain racial group). They were not necessarily killed because they were indigenous, one of the identifying features of the peasants was their indigenous dress. Many authors note that since La Matanza the indigenous in El Salvador have been very reluctant to describe themselves as such (in census declarations for example) or to wear indigenous dress or be seen to be taking part in any cultural activities or customs that might be understood as indigenous.4
There is a significant population of Palestinian Christian and Chinese immigrants. There is also a small community of Jews and Muslims.
While the plurality of country's population is Roman Catholic, it no longer constitutes a majority. According to an October 2006 survey by the Technological University Public Opinion Center, 48% of the population was Roman Catholic, while some 28.2% are members of Protestant churches. Groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons; 14.6 percent are not affiliated with any religious group.5
Spanish is the language spoken by virtually all inhabitants. The capital city of San Salvador has about 316,090 people; an estimated 37% of El Salvador's population live in rural areas. The total impact of civil wars, dictatorships and socioeconomics drove over a million Salvadorans (both as immigrants and refugees) into the US; in addition small Salvadoran communities sprung up in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe and Australia since the migration trend began in the early 1970s.
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| Ethnic groups | |
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| Salvadoran Women | |
| Group | Number |
| Mestizo (86%) | 4,210,000 |
| White (12%) | 621,000 |
| Amerindian (2%) | 69,000 |
| Source: CDI (2006) | |
| Ethnic groups | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| group | percent | |||
| Mestizo | 90% | |||
| White | 9% | |||
| Amerindian | 1% | |||
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook.
Spanish, Nahuatl (among some Amerindians)
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