Annual growth of GDP per capita in El Salvador
El Salvador: Annual growth of GDP per capita was 3.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual growth of GDP per capita in El Salvador, 1966–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, annual growth of gdp per capita in El Salvador stood at 3.5%.
The figure is up 62.6% on the previous year and up 68.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth of gdp per capita in El Salvador peaked at 11.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, -16.9%, in 1980.
El Salvador ranks 69th of 212 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.
Annual growth of GDP per capita in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 4.2% | — |
| 1967 | 2.5% | -40.2% |
| 1968 | 0.4% | -83.9% |
| 1969 | 0.7% | +78.3% |
| 1970 | 0.4% | -46.1% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +264.0% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +159.9% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | -33.4% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +20.9% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -77.7% |
| 1976 | 2.8% | +327.9% |
| 1977 | 4.5% | +61.1% |
| 1978 | 3.1% | -31.5% |
| 1979 | -6.0% | -294.6% |
| 1980 | -16.9% | +181.3% |
| 1981 | -6.3% | -62.6% |
| 1982 | -7.4% | +16.0% |
| 1983 | -0.3% | -96.0% |
| 1984 | -0.6% | +98.2% |
| 1985 | -1.4% | +137.2% |
| 1986 | -1.8% | +29.1% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -128.3% |
| 1988 | -0.1% | -129.7% |
| 1989 | -1.0% | +571.5% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | -387.3% |
| 1991 | -0.3% | -109.3% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | -2079.9% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -16.2% |
| 1994 | 3.7% | -16.5% |
| 1995 | 3.9% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -98.4% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | +3839.4% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -17.4% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -21.3% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | -60.6% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -26.2% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | +172.1% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | -42.2% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +238.5% |
| 2006 | 4.4% | +64.8% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -60.8% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | +6.0% |
| 2009 | -2.4% | -232.4% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -175.2% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | +88.9% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | -29.5% |
| 2013 | 1.8% | -24.8% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -28.0% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | +56.9% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | +9.7% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -9.7% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | +13.3% |
| 2019 | 2.4% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | -8.1% | -437.0% |
| 2021 | 11.5% | -242.7% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -77.9% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | +12.6% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | -26.0% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | +62.6% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 3.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.1%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 3.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.4%, 1.5× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth of GDP per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +3839.4% | 0.1% | 2.4% |
| 1992 | +2079.9% | -0.3% | 5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.0% | 0.4% | 4.2% | 4 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | -6.0% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | -3.5% | -16.9% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | -0.3% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | -2.4% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.3% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | -8.1% | 11.5% | 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)
- 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 annual growth of gdp per capita in El Salvador?
- Annual growth of gdp per capita in El Salvador was 3.5% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.9% in 1980.
- How does El Salvador rank for annual growth of gdp per capita?
- El Salvador ranks 69th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth of gdp per capita rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This data is adjusted for inflation.