El Salvador's population numbers about 6.2 million; almost 90% is of mixed Indian and Spanish extraction. About 1% is indigenous; very few Indians have retained their customs and traditions.
The country's people are largely Roman Catholic -- though Protestant groups are growing -- and Spanish is the language spoken by virtually all inhabitants. The capital city of San Salvador has about 1.7 million people; an estimated 42% of El Salvador's population live in rural areas.
Population: 6,122,515 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
38% (male 1,186,328; female 1,141,245)
15-64 years:
57% (male 1,652,083; female 1,833,998)
65 years and over:
5% (male 139,919; female 168,942) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.87% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 29.02 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.27 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.83 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.74 years
male:
66.14 years
female:
73.52 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.38 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Salvadoran(s)
adjective:
Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 86%
note:
there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy:
definition:
age 10 and over can read and write
total population:
71.5%
male:
73.5%
female:
69.8% (1995 est.)
- See also : El Salvador
