Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 318.29 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador, 1996–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 318.29 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 224.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador peaked at 427.07 million BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, -413.30 million BoP, current US$, in 2018.
That places El Salvador 74th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 7.20 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1999 | 53.80 million BoP, current US$ | +647.6% |
| 2000 | -5.00 million BoP, current US$ | -109.3% |
| 2001 | -9.70 million BoP, current US$ | +94.0% |
| 2002 | -25.70 million BoP, current US$ | +164.9% |
| 2003 | 18.60 million BoP, current US$ | -172.4% |
| 2004 | -2.75 million BoP, current US$ | -114.8% |
| 2005 | 112.90 million BoP, current US$ | -4205.5% |
| 2006 | -26.30 million BoP, current US$ | -123.3% |
| 2007 | 95.20 million BoP, current US$ | -462.0% |
| 2008 | 79.43 million BoP, current US$ | -16.6% |
| 2009 | 2.96 million BoP, current US$ | -96.3% |
| 2010 | 112.41 million BoP, current US$ | +3697.5% |
| 2011 | -95.93 million BoP, current US$ | -185.3% |
| 2012 | -35.89 million BoP, current US$ | -62.6% |
| 2013 | 66.07 million BoP, current US$ | -284.1% |
| 2014 | 199.85 million BoP, current US$ | +202.5% |
| 2015 | 98.19 million BoP, current US$ | -50.9% |
| 2016 | 131.62 million BoP, current US$ | +34.0% |
| 2017 | -385.04 million BoP, current US$ | -392.6% |
| 2018 | -413.30 million BoP, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 60.52 million BoP, current US$ | -114.6% |
| 2020 | 383.76 million BoP, current US$ | +534.1% |
| 2021 | 427.07 million BoP, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 2022 | -116.98 million BoP, current US$ | -127.4% |
| 2023 | -30.23 million BoP, current US$ | -74.2% |
| 2024 | 309.60 million BoP, current US$ | -1124.1% |
| 2025 | 318.29 million BoP, current US$ | +2.8% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 318.29 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 99.60 million BoP, current US$, 3.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 318.29 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 31.93 million BoP, current US$, 10.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +4205.5% | -2.75 million BoP, current US$ | 112.90 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2010 | +3697.5% | 2.96 million BoP, current US$ | 112.41 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30.50 million BoP, current US$ | 7.20 million BoP, current US$ | 53.80 million BoP, current US$ | 2 |
| 2000s | 23.96 million BoP, current US$ | -26.30 million BoP, current US$ | 112.90 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -26.15 million BoP, current US$ | -413.30 million BoP, current US$ | 199.85 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 215.25 million BoP, current US$ | -116.98 million BoP, current US$ | 427.07 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 71 Cote d'Ivoire 362.30 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 72 Latvia 344.27 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 73 Albania 341.64 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 75 Honduras 284.12 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 76 Venezuela 277.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 77 Pakistan 267.00 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)
- 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 foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador was 318.29 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 427.07 million BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -413.30 million BoP, current US$ in 2018.
- How does El Salvador rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- El Salvador ranks 74th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 224.1%. 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 database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. 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 ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.