Quick answerSalvador is a city in Brazil, with 2,564,204 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 4.0 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Pelourinho, the Afro-Brazilian culture and the Capoeira. Its official language is Portuguese, and its currency is the Brazilian real.
Salvador is the fourth-largest city in Brazil, with about 2.6 million people inside the city limits and about 4.0 million in the wider metropolitan area (2025). It stands on the Atlantic coast in north-eastern Brazil and is known for its Afro-Brazilian culture and the Pelourinho old town.
Key facts
| Country | Brazil |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 2,564,204 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 3,957,123 (2025) · Greater Salvador metropolitan area (Região Metropolitana de Salvador), IBGE estimate, 2020 |
| Elevation | 8 m above sea level |
| Time zone | America/Bahia |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Currency | Brazilian real (BRL, R$) |
| Coordinates | 12.9747° S, 38.4767° W |
Overview
Salvador stands on a peninsula on the Atlantic coast in north-eastern Brazil, in the state of Bahia. With 2,564,204 residents inside the city limits in 2025, it is Brazil's fourth-largest city, and its metropolitan area, Greater Salvador, holds about 4.0 million people. The city covers 693 square kilometres and is built on two levels: the lower town by the harbour and the upper town on the cliffs above it.
Salvador was the first capital of colonial Brazil, from 1549 to 1763, and its old town, the Pelourinho, is a UNESCO World Heritage site of colourful colonial houses, baroque churches and cobbled squares. The city is the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture in Brazil: it is known for its music and dance, for capoeira, for the carnival and for Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion. Salvador's food, such as acarajé, reflects its African heritage, and its beaches stretch along the Atlantic coast.
What Salvador is known for
- Pelourinho
- Afro-Brazilian culture
- Capoeira
- Carnival
- Acarajé
Landmarks
- Pelourinho
- São Francisco Church
- Elevador Lacerda
- Farol da Barra
- Mercado Modelo
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Salvador?
Salvador had 2,564,204 residents inside the city limits in 2025, according to IBGE, making it the fourth-largest city in Brazil. Its metropolitan area, Greater Salvador, had about 4.0 million people (3,957,123 in 2020). The city covers 693 square kilometres on the Atlantic coast.
Where is Salvador and what is it known for?
Salvador is on the Atlantic coast in north-eastern Brazil, in the state of Bahia. It is known as the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture, for the Pelourinho old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for capoeira and carnival, and for its beaches. Salvador was Brazil's first colonial capital.
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Keep exploring
- Brazil — the country Salvador is in
- São Paulo — another city in Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro — another city in Brazil
- Brasília — another city in Brazil
- All cities in Brazil
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.