Total debt service in El Salvador
El Salvador: Total debt service was 96.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Total debt service in El Salvador, 1976–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total debt service in El Salvador is 96.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 15.8% on the previous year and up 399.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total debt service in El Salvador peaked at 96.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 1980.
El Salvador ranks 1st of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total debt service in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 10.9% | — |
| 1977 | 13.5% | +23.7% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | -16.9% |
| 1979 | 8.1% | -28.1% |
| 1980 | 8.0% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 10.1% | +27.2% |
| 1982 | 15.5% | +53.1% |
| 1983 | 22.3% | +44.1% |
| 1984 | 25.7% | +15.2% |
| 1985 | 28.2% | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 27.9% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 28.3% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 21.8% | -22.9% |
| 1989 | 18.7% | -14.3% |
| 1990 | 21.7% | +16.0% |
| 1991 | 27.5% | +26.8% |
| 1992 | 24.1% | -12.1% |
| 1993 | 21.7% | -9.9% |
| 1994 | 20.9% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 17.9% | -14.3% |
| 1996 | 18.8% | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 12.8% | -32.3% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | +54.6% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | -25.6% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 18.9% | +27.2% |
| 2003 | 25.0% | +32.6% |
| 2004 | 30.6% | +22.0% |
| 2005 | 24.9% | -18.4% |
| 2006 | 31.6% | +26.8% |
| 2007 | 24.0% | -24.1% |
| 2008 | 20.2% | -15.7% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | +35.8% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | -19.4% |
| 2011 | 22.2% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 19.2% | -13.6% |
| 2013 | 17.4% | -9.1% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +10.6% |
| 2015 | 18.6% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 51.6% | +157.3% |
| 2018 | 45.5% | -11.8% |
| 2019 | 67.8% | +48.8% |
| 2020 | 82.0% | +21.1% |
| 2021 | 67.9% | -17.2% |
| 2022 | 32.2% | -52.6% |
| 2023 | 83.1% | +158.4% |
| 2024 | 96.2% | +15.8% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 96.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14.4%, 6.7× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 96.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 19.8%, 4.9× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.0% | 8.1% | 13.5% | 4 |
| 1980s | 20.6% | 8.0% | 28.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.0% | 12.8% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.2% | 14.2% | 31.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 17.4% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.3% | 32.2% | 96.2% | 5 |
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 total debt service in El Salvador?
- Total debt service in El Salvador was 96.2% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest total debt service recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 96.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest total debt service recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 1980.
- How does El Salvador rank for total debt service?
- El Salvador ranks 1st out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total debt service rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 399.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Total debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total debt service to exports of goods, services and primary income. Total debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt, interest paid on short-term debt, and repayments (repurchases and charges) to the IMF.