LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN · COUNTRY REFERENCE
El Salvador
Written and compiled by American Business Capital Group Inc.
Selected country or entityMap: Natural Earth ↗
ANNUAL ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT
Population & economic scale
The most recent non-empty observations returned by the World Bank when this snapshot was collected. Read the year on each card: these are annual statistics, not live measurements.
World Bank reporting entity: El Salvador · 3 of 3 indicators available.
Population
6,365,503
people
observation
Definition, value & source
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.
Received value: 6365503 people. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: https://population.un.org/wpp/, publisher: UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), uri: https://unstats.un.org/home/nso_sites/, publisher: National Statistical Offices; Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT), uri: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database?node_code=earn_ses_monthly, publisher: Eurostat; Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), United Nations (UN), uri: https://unstats.un.org, publisher: UN Statistics Division
GDP
$36.71 billion
current US$
observation
Definition, value & source
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.
Received value: 36708110000 current US$. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
GDP per capita
$5,767
current US$ per person
observation
Definition, value & source
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.
Received value: 5766.72574029107 current US$ per person. The main card rounds for readability.
- Collected
- Oct 7, 2026
- Dataset update reported by API
- Jul 13, 2026; separate from the observation year
World Bank indicator ↗ · API record ↗
World Bank, World Development Indicators. CC BY 4.0. Underlying sources: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
GDP and GDP per capita use current US dollars, without an inflation or purchasing-power-parity adjustment. Source years can differ. Missing data is not zero; earlier archive figures below are retained as a separate historical reference.
THE REFERENCE FILE
El Salvador at a glance
These are historical reference facts from the 2025 World Factbook archive. Each estimate keeps its own period; an archive edition does not make every figure a measurement from that year.
Population
total: 6,334,723 (2025 est.) male: 3,026,645 female: 3,308,078
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$73.961 billion (2024 est.) $72.085 billion (2023 est.) $69.621 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$35.365 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Real GDP growth rate
2.6% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
$11,700 (2024 est.) $11,400 (2023 est.) $11,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.9% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Unemployment rate
2.9% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Labor force
2.89 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
102.2% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Budget
revenues: $9.359 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.313 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Current account balance
-$632.549 million (2024 est.) -$367.831 million (2023 est.) -$2.144 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$11.586 billion (2024 est.) $10.629 billion (2023 est.) $10.164 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports
$18.354 billion (2024 est.) $17.034 billion (2023 est.) $18.181 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.705 billion (2024 est.) $3.079 billion (2023 est.) $2.695 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$12.668 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Internet users
percent of population: 68% (2023 est.)
THE HISTORICAL REFERENCE LIBRARY
Explore the country in detail
Browse the economy, population, resources and infrastructure. These archived descriptions keep their original wording and dates; they have not been updated to describe current conditions.
32 of 32 sections
Location
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Capital
name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: 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
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
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
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Natural resources
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Agricultural products
sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Industries
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
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
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Exports - commodities
garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Imports - partners
USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
2023 source periods; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Climate
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Land use
agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33% (2023 est.) other: 9.3% (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Natural hazards
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
1917 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Languages
Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Religions
Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400)
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Urbanization
urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
2023, 2020 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 72.4 years female: 79.5 years
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Literacy
total population: 89.8% (2024 est.) male: 91.6% (2024 est.) female: 88.2% (2024 est.)
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 2.803 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 140 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 750.096 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 770.613 million kWh (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 24.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 14% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 3 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 56,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Natural gas
consumption: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Carbon dioxide emissions
8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.745 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 948,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
2023 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 11.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.)
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 671,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)
2022 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Airports
27 (2025)
2025 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Railways
total: 12.5 km (2014) narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge
2014 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Ports
total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 4.4% (2024 est.) industry: 22.4% (2024 est.) services: 61% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
2024 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
Remittances
24% of GDP (2024 est.) 24.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 24.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
2024, 2023, 2022 dates in source text; archive edition 2025 · Archive source ↗
CURRENCY OBSERVATIONS
Money & exchange rates
The latest verified daily references are separate from the historical country profile. Values are currency units per US$1.
El Salvador Colon
SVC per US$1
Published reference snapshot; its original observation date is preserved.
1 SVC = US$0.1141422
8.7409–8.7858 SVC per US$1 across the displayed observations. The vertical scale follows this range.
View dated observations
| Observation date | SVC per US$1 |
|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2026 | 8.761 |
| Oct 5, 2026 | 8.7747 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 8.7734 |
| Oct 2, 2026 | 8.7825 |
| Oct 1, 2026 | 8.7735 |
| Sep 30, 2026 | 8.7496 |
| Sep 29, 2026 | 8.7611 |
| Sep 28, 2026 | 8.7636 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 8.7652 |
| Sep 25, 2026 | 8.7709 |
| Sep 24, 2026 | 8.7836 |
| Sep 23, 2026 | 8.7535 |
| Sep 22, 2026 | 8.76 |
| Sep 21, 2026 | 8.7644 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 8.774 |
| Sep 18, 2026 | 8.7833 |
| Sep 17, 2026 | 8.7858 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | 8.7553 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 8.7667 |
| Sep 14, 2026 | 8.7721 |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 8.7633 |
| Sep 11, 2026 | 8.7681 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | 8.7552 |
| Sep 9, 2026 | 8.756 |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 8.7468 |
| Sep 7, 2026 | 8.7409 |
US Dollar
USD per US$1
Daily references are not live execution prices. A check time does not change a source observation date.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Stock exchanges
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SOURCES & DATES
Where the facts come from.
Editorial presentation by American Business Capital Group Inc. The organizations and archive links below are the underlying sources.
- Country reference
- CIA World Factbook · 2025 archive
- Archive retrieved
- Oct 6, 2026 · retrieval date, not an observation period
- Currency associations
- SIX / ISO 4217 currency registry ↗
- Rate observations
- Frankfurter / official reference providers ↗ · each observation is dated separately
- State classification
- UN member states ↗ · UN observer states ↗
- UN membership is shown separately from territory and currency coverage; inclusion is not a position on sovereignty or boundaries.
- CIA World Factbook text preserved by World Factbook Archive. Archive edition 2025; individual estimates retain their own dates. These are historical reference facts, not current observations.
About the editions. The CIA announced the end of its online World Factbook on February 4, 2026. Our historical profiles retain the archive editions shown above.
Skyhorse lists The CIA World Factbook 2026–2027, published April 7, 2026 (ISBN 9781510786042). That book’s full text has not been incorporated here; its edition title does not redate the imported archive. Archive distribution license.
Geography is a simplified reference. Displayed boundaries and entity inclusion do not express a position on sovereignty or disputed borders.