Imports of goods and services in El Salvador
El Salvador: Imports of goods and services was 56.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in El Salvador, 1965–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, imports of goods and services in El Salvador stood at 56.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in El Salvador peaked at 56.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 22.3%, in 1988.
That places El Salvador 66th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 28.8% | — |
| 1966 | 29.8% | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 28.7% | -3.8% |
| 1968 | 27.1% | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 25.8% | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 24.5% | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 26.6% | +8.4% |
| 1972 | 28.1% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 33.0% | +17.3% |
| 1974 | 40.8% | +23.8% |
| 1975 | 38.2% | -6.4% |
| 1976 | 36.8% | -3.7% |
| 1977 | 37.5% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 39.5% | +5.5% |
| 1979 | 37.1% | -6.0% |
| 1980 | 33.2% | -10.5% |
| 1981 | 33.6% | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 28.5% | -15.2% |
| 1983 | 29.9% | +5.1% |
| 1984 | 28.5% | -4.6% |
| 1985 | 29.9% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 29.0% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 26.1% | -10.1% |
| 1988 | 22.3% | -14.6% |
| 1989 | 23.7% | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 31.1% | +31.4% |
| 1991 | 30.5% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 32.5% | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 34.2% | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 35.2% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 37.8% | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 34.1% | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 37.5% | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 36.5% | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 36.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 41.9% | +14.5% |
| 2001 | 40.9% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 40.4% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 42.3% | +4.7% |
| 2004 | 43.9% | +3.7% |
| 2005 | 44.4% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 47.5% | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 52.1% | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 53.9% | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 42.1% | -21.9% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | +10.6% |
| 2011 | 50.3% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 49.1% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 50.7% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 47.1% | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 44.4% | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 45.3% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 46.7% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 46.1% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 41.9% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 53.1% | +26.5% |
| 2022 | 56.3% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 51.0% | -9.3% |
| 2024 | 53.0% | +3.9% |
| 2025 | 56.1% | +5.8% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 56.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43.0%, 1.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 56.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 39.3%, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.0% | 25.8% | 29.8% | 5 |
| 1970s | 34.2% | 24.5% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.5% | 22.3% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.6% | 30.5% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.9% | 40.4% | 53.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.5% | 44.4% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.9% | 41.9% | 56.3% | 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 imports of goods and services in El Salvador?
- Imports of goods and services in El Salvador was 56.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 56.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.3% in 1988.
- How does El Salvador rank for imports of goods and services?
- El Salvador ranks 66th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.