Americas · capital city
What Is the Capital of El Salvador?
San Salvador
The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador. About 1.1 million people live in the San Salvador urban area — 17.5% of the country's population.
1.1 million
Urban area population
UTC-6
Time zone
13.70°N
Latitude · 89.20°W
Yes
Largest city
San Salvador at a glance
Name origin
Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish.
Time zone
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
13 42 N, 89 12 W · IANA time zone America/El_Salvador
Location of El Salvador
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to San Salvador
Guatemala City, Guatemala — 175 km
Tegucigalpa, Honduras — 219 km
Managua, Nicaragua — 364 km
Belmopan, Belize — 397 km
San José, Costa Rica — 697 km
George Town, Cayman Islands — 1,040 km
Panama City, Panama — 1,178 km
Mexico City, Mexico — 1,235 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about San Salvador
What is the capital of El Salvador?
The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador. About 1.1 million people live in the San Salvador urban area — 17.5% of the country's population.
Is San Salvador the largest city in El Salvador?
Yes — San Salvador is also the largest urban area of El Salvador (1.1 million).
What time zone is San Salvador in?
San Salvador is on UTC-6 — UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name San Salvador come from?
Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish.
Which capital is closest to San Salvador?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Guatemala City (Guatemala) is the closest, 175 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).