If you lived in El Salvador instead of South Korea, you would:

Health

live 7.6 years less

In South Korea, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022. In El Salvador, that number is 75 years (72 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2022.

be 5.2 times more likely to be obese

In South Korea, 4.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In El Salvador, that number is 24.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

pay a 21.1% lower top tax rate

South Korea has a top tax rate of 38.0% as of 2016. In El Salvador, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 77.7% less money

South Korea has a GDP per capita of $50,600 as of 2023, while in El Salvador, the GDP per capita is $11,300 as of 2023.

be 84.7% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Korea, 14.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In El Salvador, however, that number is 26.6% as of 2022.

Life

have 2.5 times more children

In South Korea, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In El Salvador, there are 17.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 5.4 times more likely to die during childbirth

In South Korea, approximately 8.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In El Salvador, 43.0 women do as of 2020.

be 4.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In South Korea, approximately 2.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In El Salvador, on the other hand, 12.1 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 35.7% less likely to have internet access

In South Korea, approximately 98.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In El Salvador, about 63.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 12.8% less on education

South Korea spends 4.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. El Salvador spends 4.1% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 17.9% more on healthcare

South Korea spends 8.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In El Salvador, that number is 9.9% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 87.3% less coastline

South Korea has a total of 2,413 km of coastline. In El Salvador, that number is 307 km.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, National Tax Service, South Korea.

El Salvador: At a glance

El Salvador is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 20,721 sq km. El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
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How big is El Salvador compared to South Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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