World Factbook

El Salvador

República de El Salvador

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$9.359 billion (2023 est.)

expenditures

$10.313 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2022

$10.164 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$10.629 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$11.586 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2022

$18.181 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$17.034 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$18.354 billion (2024 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Labor force

2.89 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2023

102.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

24.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

24.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

24% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Debt - external 2023

$12.668 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

USA 36%, Guatemala 17%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 8%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$11,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$11,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$11,700 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.6% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Current account balance

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Current account balance 2022

-$2.144 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$367.831 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$632.549 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.365 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

79.6% (2024 est.)

government consumption

19.2% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.9% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.2% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

32.8% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.9% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

26.6% (2022 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Average household expenditures

on food

26.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

0.9% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

0.4% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$69.621 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$72.085 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$73.961 billion (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

5.2% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

6.7% (2024 est.)

female

9.5% (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.695 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$3.079 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$3.705 billion (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

22.4% (2024 est.)

services

61% (2024 est.)

agriculture

4.4% (2024 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

1.9% (2023 est.)

highest 10%

29.7% (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

39.8 (2023 est.)