Refugees
510refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
176,471from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
El Salvador
El Salvador has 6.4 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $37 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of the gas it uses (EIA, 2024, preliminary).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 6.4 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$36.7billion108th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population6.4million112th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$5,767112th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP1.3% of GDP91st of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person1.4t146th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
El Salvador imports all of the gas it uses.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports all of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | India, Israel |
| Natural gas | Imports most | Imports all of the gas it uses PreliminaryEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | United States, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Wheat | Not reported by this source | – | |
| Maize | Imports some | Imports 48% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | United States, Brazil |
| Rice | Imports most | Imports 91% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Brazil, United States, Costa Rica |
| Soybeans | Low net trade | Imports 2.1% of the soybeans it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2014 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | United States, Nicaragua, China |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Russia, Canada, United States |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | China, Russia, United States |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: United States, 79% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | United States, Türkiye, Israel |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 40% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | China, United States, Italy |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports most
Imports all of the oil it uses
Main partners: India, Israel
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Natural gasImports most
Imports all of the gas it uses Preliminary
Main partners: United States, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Wheat
Not reported by this source
- MaizeImports some
Imports 48% of the maize it uses
Main partners: United States, Brazil
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceImports most
Imports 91% of the rice it uses
Main partners: Brazil, United States, Costa Rica
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- SoybeansLow net trade
Imports 2.1% of the soybeans it uses Estimate
Main partners: United States, Nicaragua, China
FAOSTAT, use 2014 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Russia, Canada, United States
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: China, Russia, United States
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: United States, 79% of imports
Main partners: United States, Türkiye, Israel
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 40% of imports
Main partners: China, United States, Italy
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
El Salvador’s economy produced $37 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth3.9%2025 · 73rd of 186 · World Bank
Inflation0.3%2025 · 153rd of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment3.3%2025 · 131st of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$3.70billion2024 · 105th of 164 · World Bank
Trade86% of GDP2024 · 79th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$764million2025 · 109th of 200 · World Bank
People
El Salvador had 6.4 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
El Salvador’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman1.782023 · 132nd of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age27.02023 · 152nd of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over8.3%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Climate and hazards
El Salvador emitted 9.0 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
El Salvador’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions9Mt2024 · 112th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person1.4t2024 · 146th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750265Mt2024 · 121st of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress1.92023 · 72nd of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers El Salvador.
Sanctions
20entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 19 and UK 1
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$310millioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
5publicly known incidents affecting El Salvador, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
52 measures on this site have a recent figure for El Salvador.
| GDP | $37 bn | 2025 | 108th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $5,767 | 2025 | 112th of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 3.9% | 2025 | 73rd of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 0.3% | 2025 | 153rd of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 88% | 2025 | 34th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | −2.9% | 2025 | 105th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | −3.5% | 2025 | 123rd of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 2025 | 131st of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $3.7 bn | 2024 | 105th of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 86% | 2024 | 79th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $764 m | 2025 | 109th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 24.3% | 2024 | 6th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 6.4 m | 2025 | 112th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 6.3 m | 2023 | 112th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 1.78 | 2023 | 132nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 27.0 | 2023 | 152nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 72.1 | 2023 | 152nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 176,471 | 2025 | 32nd of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 510 | 2025 | 144th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 0.1 | 2025 | 149th of 176 | UNHCR |
| People displaced inside the country | 71,500 | 2025 | 30th of 38 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 60 kb/d | 2024 | 101st of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 0.5 bcm | 2024 | 102nd of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 6 TWh | 2024 | 118th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 92% | 2024 | 21st of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 0% | 2024 | 82nd of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 22% | 2024 | 33rd of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat imports | 0.3 Mt | 2024 | 85th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 0.8 Mt | 2024 | 65th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 0.7 Mt | 2024 | 44th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 97th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 87th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 73rd of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 143rd of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 111th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.01 Mt | 2024 | 93rd of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 9 Mt | 2024 | 112th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 1.4 t | 2024 | 146th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 265 Mt | 2024 | 121st of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 30% | 2023 | 47th of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 1.9 | 2023 | 72nd of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 41% | 2023 | 50th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 1.3% | 2025 | 91st of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $490 m | 2025 | 101st of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 3 TIV m | 2025 | 98th of 108 | SIPRI |
| People using the internet | 66% | 2024 | 126th of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $415 m | 2024 | 80th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 7% | 2024 | 81st of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 20 | 2026 | 90th of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $57 m | 2021 | 53rd of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000, Internally displaced
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, Soybean production, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure