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El Salvador vs Uruguay
Side-by-side comparison of El Salvador and Uruguay from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
El Salvador
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 185 years
Uruguay
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 201 years
In short
Uruguay scores 64.5 in the NationsTree Index (48th in the world) and El Salvador scores 41.1 (127th), a gap of 23.4 points. Their trees are 5.4 m and 7.2 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
El Salvador has 88% more people than Uruguay. Uruguay is 8.4 times larger than El Salvador by land area. The economy of Uruguay is 44% larger than that of El Salvador (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: El Salvador 6.4 million and Uruguay 3.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $38,315 in Uruguay and $14,101 in El Salvador (2025, international dollars). People in Uruguay live on average 6.0 years longer (78.3 vs 72.3 years).
Of 39 indicators reported by both countries, El Salvador ranks higher in the world on 9 and Uruguay on 30. El Salvador is clearly stronger in trade. Uruguay is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, science & innovation and society & health.
As a nation, Uruguay is the older of the two (statehood since 1825, 201 years), compared with El Salvador (since 1841). Over the last five years Uruguay improved faster (direction score 63 vs 55 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between El Salvador and Uruguay.
El Salvador
62.1%
145th of 173
Uruguaybetter
119.1%
17th of 173
InflationEconomy
El Salvadorbetter
0.3%
18th of 180
Uruguay
4.7%
136th of 180
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
El Salvador
98.7%
138th of 215
Uruguaybetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
El Salvador
37.0
137th of 207
Uruguaybetter
79.4
17th of 207
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
El Salvador
44.0
140th of 205
Uruguaybetter
80.0
23rd of 205
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Uruguay has been ahead of El Salvador in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1991.
Uruguay has been ahead of El Salvador in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
El Salvador has been ahead of Uruguay in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
El SalvadorUruguay All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | El Salvador | Uruguay |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 21,040150th/216 · 2024 | 176,21590th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 20,720150th/216 · 2024 | 175,01690th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 6.4 m112th/217 · 2025 | 3.4 m133rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.43%146th/217 · 2025 | -0.06%173rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 305.941st/216 · 2024 | 19.4188th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 75.5%72nd/217 · 2025 | 95.7%17th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 24.4%98th/217 · 2025 | 17.9%141st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 8.3%115th/217 · 2025 | 16.3%60th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $36.71 bn109th/210 · 2025 | $85.35 bn84th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $89.76 bn106th/199 · 2025 | $129.68 bn93rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $76.70 bn106th/199 · 2025 | $110.82 bn93rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,767134th/210 · 2025 | $25,21667th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $14,101126th/199 · 2025 | $38,31566th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,410126th/201 · 2025 | $24,02061st/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.9%81st/210 · 2025 | 1.8%153rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.3%18th/180 · 2025 | 4.7%136th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.3%51st/187 · 2025 | 7.5%129th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 107.3%50th/55 · 2024 | 65.3%36th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 87.6%156th/189 · 2025 | 65.6%128th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025 | -3.4%116th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 4.4%111th/197 · 2025 | 6.4%98th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 24.5%92nd/200 · 2025 | 16.9%149th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 12.7%70th/192 · 2025 | 10.0%101st/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 58.9%95th/200 · 2025 | 65.2%53rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $11.76 bn106th/182 · 2025 | $23.10 bn88th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $20.60 bn92nd/182 · 2025 | $19.33 bn95th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 32.0%103rd/183 · 2025 | 27.1%119th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 56.1%61st/183 · 2025 | 22.6%160th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 88.2%82nd/183 · 2025 | 49.7%145th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 4.8%77th/170 · 2025 | 1.3%112th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 69.4%44th/171 · 2025 | 18.9%107th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 23.7%61st/171 · 2025 | 65.3%18th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.4%122nd/171 · 2025 | 0.3%157th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 5.6%92nd/168 · 2024 | 9.8%66th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -3.5%121st/191 · 2025 | -0.5%80th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.1%98th/196 · 2025 | 2.3%92nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.5%130th/209 · 2021 | 1.9%97th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%118th/197 · 2021 | 0.01%106th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.01%81st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.54%68th/209 · 2021 | 1.91%37th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 34.8%21st/206 · 2024 | 12.4%85th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 2,48992nd/183 · 2022 | 27,19023rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 707,000109th/194 · 2020 | 3.5 m50th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $755.0 m82nd/175 · 2020 | $1.09 bn67th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 12.3%49th/168 · 2020 | 7.7%70th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 515,00076th/107 · 2020 | 2.2 m49th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 72.3135th/217 · 2024 | 78.365th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 10.077th/196 · 2024 | 7.457th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.6291st/174 · 2023 | 4.6713th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.2109th/145 · 2023 | 2.473rd/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 95%59th/193 · 2024 | 94%66th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 49.2%115th/153 · 2023 | 63.3%96th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 62.1%145th/173 · 2024 | 119.1%17th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 88.8%5th/55 · 2022 | 71.7%16th/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 12.3%114th/217 · 2025 | 24.7%60th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 9.3%40th/193 · 2023 | 9.0%44th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 89.8%52nd/98 · 2024 | 98.9%15th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 32.8%104th/150 · 2024 | 80.0%28th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.678132nd/193 · 2023 | 0.86248th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 39.885th/108 · 2023 | 40.087th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 4.6%74th/108 · 2023 | 0.2%18th/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.7%138th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 36.0%101st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 66.5%130th/186 · 2024 | 92.0%45th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17714th/210 · 2024 | 14634th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 12.5109th/208 · 2024 | 33.049th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.20131st/164 · 2022 | 2.7071st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 5472003 | 1,49860th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 3.3 m71st/161 · 2023 | 563,6322009 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.5178th/203 · 2024 | 2.57103rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 21.9%99th/212 · 2021 | 57.8%41st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 29.6150th/200 · 2023 | 10.952nd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 33.0%105th/214 · 2024 | 11.5%162nd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 787104th/149 · 2024 | 1,95957th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 47.5127th/205 · 2025 | 70.047th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 37.0137th/207 · 2025 | 79.417th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 47.0149th/207 · 2025 | 74.141st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 67.6108th/207 · 2025 | 88.415th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 53.1107th/205 · 2025 | 65.055th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 44.0140th/205 · 2025 | 80.023rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 7.9111th/145 · 2022 | 11.2118th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $490.0 m105th/156 · 2025 | $1.95 bn66th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.3%96th/156 · 2025 | 2.3%48th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.4%97th/154 · 2025 | 7.1%48th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 42,00077th/170 · 2020 | 22,000100th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.62%37th/168 · 2020 | 1.32%49th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.0 m141st/163 · 2025 | 1.0 m150th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m1991 | 1.0 m2000 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.10%97th/110 · 2023 | 0.70%51st/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 6113th/137 · 2024 | 1397th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 65148th/197 · 2023 | 1,06087th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, El Salvador or Uruguay?
El Salvador has the larger population: 6.4 m (2025) compared with 3.4 m for Uruguay (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay is larger: 176,215 km² (2024) compared with 21,040 km² for El Salvador (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $129.68 bn intl. (2025) compared with $89.76 bn intl. for El Salvador (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $38,315 intl. (2025) compared with $14,101 intl. for El Salvador (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years (2024) compared with 72.3 years for El Salvador (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay spends more on the military: $1.95 bn (2025) compared with $490.0 m for El Salvador (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, El Salvador or Uruguay?
Uruguay: 64.5 points (48th in the world); El Salvador: 41.1 points (127th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Guyana
Honduras
Nicaragua
Bolivia
Costa Rica
Paraguay
Puerto Rico (US)Sources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). El Salvador vs Uruguay — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/el-salvador-vs-uruguay. Data as of 26 October 2026.