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 1.3 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