Foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador
El Salvador: Foreign direct investment, net was -445.44 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-445.44 million BoP, current US$
Change on year
up 39.9%
World rank
100th
of 196 countries
All-time high
225.56 million BoP, current US$
in 2010
All-time low
-1.46 billion BoP, current US$
in 2007
Years of data
49
1976–2025
Foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador, 1976–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador stood at -445.44 million BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.9% on the previous year and down 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador peaked at 225.56 million BoP, current US$ in 2010 and was at its lowest, -1.46 billion BoP, current US$, in 2007.
El Salvador ranks 100th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | -12.96 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1977 | -18.64 million BoP, current US$ | +43.8% |
| 1978 | -23.36 million BoP, current US$ | +25.3% |
| 1979 | 9.96 million BoP, current US$ | -142.6% |
| 1980 | -5.88 million BoP, current US$ | -159.0% |
| 1981 | 5.72 million BoP, current US$ | -197.3% |
| 1982 | 1.00 million BoP, current US$ | -82.5% |
| 1983 | -28.08 million BoP, current US$ | -2908.0% |
| 1984 | -12.36 million BoP, current US$ | -56.0% |
| 1985 | -12.40 million BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1986 | -24.13 million BoP, current US$ | +94.6% |
| 1987 | -18.32 million BoP, current US$ | -24.1% |
| 1988 | -16.96 million BoP, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 1989 | -14.36 million BoP, current US$ | -15.3% |
| 1990 | -1.90 million BoP, current US$ | -86.8% |
| 1991 | -25.18 million BoP, current US$ | +1226.5% |
| 1992 | -15.31 million BoP, current US$ | -39.2% |
| 1993 | -16.43 million BoP, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 1995 | -38.04 million BoP, current US$ | +131.5% |
| 1996 | 7.20 million BoP, current US$ | -118.9% |
| 1997 | -59.04 million BoP, current US$ | -920.5% |
| 1998 | -1.10 billion BoP, current US$ | +1767.6% |
| 1999 | -162.00 million BoP, current US$ | -85.3% |
| 2000 | -178.40 million BoP, current US$ | +10.1% |
| 2001 | -288.60 million BoP, current US$ | +61.8% |
| 2002 | -495.70 million BoP, current US$ | +71.8% |
| 2003 | -122.60 million BoP, current US$ | -75.3% |
| 2004 | -366.02 million BoP, current US$ | +198.5% |
| 2005 | -398.24 million BoP, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2006 | -267.43 million BoP, current US$ | -32.8% |
| 2007 | -1.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +444.2% |
| 2008 | -823.62 million BoP, current US$ | -43.4% |
| 2009 | -365.77 million BoP, current US$ | -55.6% |
| 2010 | 225.56 million BoP, current US$ | -161.7% |
| 2011 | -218.43 million BoP, current US$ | -196.8% |
| 2012 | -466.02 million BoP, current US$ | +113.4% |
| 2013 | -179.11 million BoP, current US$ | -61.6% |
| 2014 | -306.45 million BoP, current US$ | +71.1% |
| 2015 | -396.35 million BoP, current US$ | +29.3% |
| 2016 | -347.85 million BoP, current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2017 | -888.85 million BoP, current US$ | +155.5% |
| 2018 | -826.05 million BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2019 | -635.76 million BoP, current US$ | -23.0% |
| 2020 | -2.78 million BoP, current US$ | -99.6% |
| 2021 | -373.37 million BoP, current US$ | +13352.7% |
| 2022 | -143.21 million BoP, current US$ | -61.6% |
| 2023 | -808.52 million BoP, current US$ | +464.6% |
| 2024 | -741.38 million BoP, current US$ | -8.3% |
| 2025 | -445.44 million BoP, current US$ | -39.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -11.25 million BoP, current US$ | -23.36 million BoP, current US$ | 9.96 million BoP, current US$ | 4 |
| 1980s | -12.58 million BoP, current US$ | -28.08 million BoP, current US$ | 5.72 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -157.04 million BoP, current US$ | -1.10 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.20 million BoP, current US$ | 9 |
| 2000s | -476.17 million BoP, current US$ | -1.46 billion BoP, current US$ | -122.60 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -403.93 million BoP, current US$ | -888.85 million BoP, current US$ | 225.56 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -419.12 million BoP, current US$ | -808.52 million BoP, current US$ | -2.78 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 97 Equatorial Guinea -376.18 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 98 Liberia -396.63 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 99 Benin -429.95 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 101 Uruguay -457.14 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 102 Bolivia, Plurinational State of -463.86 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 103 Botswana -464.25 million BoP, current US$ compare
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)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), annual growth rate 65.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita 130.74 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), annual growth rate 65.76 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.0227 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross domestic savings (current LCU), per capita 130.74 current LCU per person (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), annual growth rate 7.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9378 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador?
- Foreign direct investment, net in El Salvador was -445.44 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 225.56 million BoP, current US$ in 2010.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.46 billion BoP, current US$ in 2007.
- How does El Salvador rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- El Salvador ranks 100th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. 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.