Foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador
El Salvador: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador stood at 2.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.0% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador peaked at 10.1% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -0.6%, in 2010.
That places El Salvador 101st out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 inflows in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.3% | — |
| 1971 | 0.6% | +80.7% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -11.5% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -20.3% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | +190.0% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -42.4% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -19.9% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | +13.8% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | +17.9% |
| 1979 | -0.3% | -138.5% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -157.2% |
| 1981 | -0.2% | -201.1% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -82.3% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | -2822.2% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | -57.9% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +96.1% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -27.7% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -12.5% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -18.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -88.0% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +1116.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -45.1% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +73.3% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +35.5% |
| 1998 | 10.1% | +1645.5% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -81.0% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -23.1% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +54.3% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +63.4% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -71.3% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | +148.3% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +31.4% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | -56.7% |
| 2007 | 9.1% | +504.8% |
| 2008 | 5.0% | -44.9% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | -58.3% |
| 2010 | -0.6% | -129.3% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -198.5% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | +233.0% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -44.6% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | +101.0% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -6.1% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -21.4% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | +63.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -40.1% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +77.7% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -97.0% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | +2716.7% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | +30.0% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -31.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5% | -0.3% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | -0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 0.0% | 10.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 1.1% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | -0.6% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 0.1% | 3.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 98 Tanzania, United Republic of 2.2% compare
- 99 Ukraine 2.1% compare
- 100 Solomon Islands 2.1% compare
- 102 Armenia 2.1% compare
- 103 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 2.1% compare
- 104 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.1% 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 318.29 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0087 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 50 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 763.72 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -27.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0208 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 119.98 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 30 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in El Salvador was 2.1% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 10.1% in 1998.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6% in 2010.
- How does El Salvador rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- El Salvador ranks 101st out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.