External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in El Salvador
El Salvador: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was -8.83 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-8.83 billion current LCU
Change on year
down 24.4%
World rank
113th
of 193 countries
All-time high
32.76 million current LCU
in 1980
All-time low
-8.83 billion current LCU
in 2025
Years of data
61
1965–2025
External balance on goods and services in El Salvador, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in El Salvador is -8.83 billion current LCU, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.4% on the previous year and down 114.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in El Salvador peaked at 32.76 million current LCU in 1980 and was at its lowest, -8.83 billion current LCU, in 2025.
El Salvador ranks 113th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | -21.28 million current LCU | — |
| 1966 | -47.56 million current LCU | +123.5% |
| 1967 | -29.48 million current LCU | -38.0% |
| 1968 | -17.72 million current LCU | -39.9% |
| 1969 | -27.36 million current LCU | +54.4% |
| 1970 | 3.24 million current LCU | -111.8% |
| 1971 | -23.52 million current LCU | -825.9% |
| 1972 | 12.24 million current LCU | -152.0% |
| 1973 | -43.60 million current LCU | -456.2% |
| 1974 | -140.16 million current LCU | +221.5% |
| 1975 | -97.40 million current LCU | -30.5% |
| 1976 | -29.64 million current LCU | -69.6% |
| 1977 | 20.36 million current LCU | -168.7% |
| 1978 | -289.76 million current LCU | -1523.2% |
| 1979 | -5.88 million current LCU | -98.0% |
| 1980 | 32.76 million current LCU | -657.1% |
| 1981 | -237.48 million current LCU | -824.9% |
| 1982 | -193.51 million current LCU | -18.5% |
| 1983 | -190.07 million current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1984 | -248.35 million current LCU | +30.7% |
| 1985 | -287.42 million current LCU | +15.7% |
| 1986 | -165.12 million current LCU | -42.6% |
| 1987 | -281.42 million current LCU | +70.4% |
| 1988 | -271.27 million current LCU | -3.6% |
| 1989 | -457.01 million current LCU | +68.5% |
| 1990 | -608.05 million current LCU | +33.0% |
| 1991 | -698.66 million current LCU | +14.9% |
| 1992 | -953.95 million current LCU | +36.5% |
| 1993 | -987.52 million current LCU | +3.5% |
| 1994 | -1.18 billion current LCU | +19.0% |
| 1995 | -1.45 billion current LCU | +23.4% |
| 1996 | -1.25 billion current LCU | -14.1% |
| 1997 | -1.18 billion current LCU | -5.6% |
| 1998 | -1.32 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1999 | -1.38 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2000 | -1.77 billion current LCU | +28.9% |
| 2001 | -1.95 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2002 | -1.89 billion current LCU | -3.3% |
| 2003 | -2.17 billion current LCU | +15.1% |
| 2004 | -2.47 billion current LCU | +13.6% |
| 2005 | -2.82 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 2006 | -3.45 billion current LCU | +22.4% |
| 2007 | -4.51 billion current LCU | +30.5% |
| 2008 | -4.89 billion current LCU | +8.5% |
| 2009 | -3.20 billion current LCU | -34.6% |
| 2010 | -3.62 billion current LCU | +13.3% |
| 2011 | -4.32 billion current LCU | +19.3% |
| 2012 | -4.39 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 2013 | -4.62 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 2014 | -4.29 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 2015 | -4.12 billion current LCU | -4.0% |
| 2016 | -3.85 billion current LCU | -6.7% |
| 2017 | -4.06 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 2018 | -4.62 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 2019 | -4.34 billion current LCU | -6.2% |
| 2020 | -4.34 billion current LCU | +0.0% |
| 2021 | -7.05 billion current LCU | +62.6% |
| 2022 | -7.60 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2023 | -7.46 billion current LCU | -1.8% |
| 2024 | -7.10 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 2025 | -8.83 billion current LCU | +24.4% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's -8.83 billion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -2.10 billion current LCU, 4.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's -8.83 billion current LCU is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -509.00 million current LCU, 17.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in El Salvador changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | -1523.2% | 20.36 million current LCU | -289.76 million current LCU |
| 1971 | -825.9% | 3.24 million current LCU | -23.52 million current LCU |
| 1981 | -824.9% | 32.76 million current LCU | -237.48 million current LCU |
| 1980 | +657.1% | -5.88 million current LCU | 32.76 million current LCU |
| 1973 | -456.2% | 12.24 million current LCU | -43.60 million current LCU |
| 1974 | -221.5% | -43.60 million current LCU | -140.16 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -28.68 million current LCU | -47.56 million current LCU | -17.72 million current LCU | 5 |
| 1970s | -59.41 million current LCU | -289.76 million current LCU | 20.36 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -229.89 million current LCU | -457.01 million current LCU | 32.76 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.10 billion current LCU | -1.45 billion current LCU | -608.05 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.91 billion current LCU | -4.89 billion current LCU | -1.77 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.22 billion current LCU | -4.62 billion current LCU | -3.62 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -7.06 billion current LCU | -8.83 billion current LCU | -4.34 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More economy & growth data for El Salvador
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.92 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 33.72 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -1.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0043 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 24.62 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 34.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0171 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in El Salvador?
- External balance on goods and services in El Salvador was -8.83 billion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 32.76 million current LCU in 1980.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.83 billion current LCU in 2025.
- How does El Salvador rank for external balance on goods and services?
- El Salvador ranks 113th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 114.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.