Foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador
El Salvador: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.9% 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 % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador is 0.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and up 107.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador peaked at 1.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, -1.6%, in 2018.
That places El Salvador 56th out of 191 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 in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 0.1% | — |
| 1999 | 0.5% | +535.2% |
| 2000 | -0.0% | -108.9% |
| 2001 | -0.1% | +86.1% |
| 2002 | -0.2% | +157.0% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -169.2% |
| 2004 | -0.0% | -114.3% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | -3933.6% |
| 2006 | -0.2% | -121.4% |
| 2007 | 0.6% | -440.4% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -21.1% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | -96.2% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | +3523.3% |
| 2011 | -0.5% | -177.6% |
| 2012 | -0.2% | -64.5% |
| 2013 | 0.3% | -279.0% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | +194.4% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -52.6% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | +29.9% |
| 2017 | -1.5% | -383.3% |
| 2018 | -1.6% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -114.2% |
| 2020 | 1.5% | +583.9% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | -0.4% | -125.0% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -75.5% |
| 2024 | 0.9% | -1085.5% |
| 2025 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1% | -1.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | -0.4% | 1.5% | 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)
- 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 outflows in El Salvador?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in El Salvador was 0.9% 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 1.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.6% in 2018.
- How does El Salvador rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- El Salvador ranks 56th out of 191 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 107.0%. 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 (% of GDP). 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, and is divided by GDP.