Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in El Salvador
El Salvador: Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP was 27.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in El Salvador, 1976–2025
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 27.5% for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in 2025. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 13.0% on the previous year and up 50.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in El Salvador peaked at 27.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1976.
That places El Salvador 5th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.5% | — |
| 1977 | 1.8% | +303.2% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +18.1% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +33.1% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | -52.5% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | +53.7% |
| 1982 | 3.3% | +56.5% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 4.3% | +32.0% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | -4.8% |
| 1986 | 4.2% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 4.7% | +13.1% |
| 1988 | 5.0% | +6.7% |
| 1989 | 5.4% | +8.1% |
| 1990 | 7.6% | +39.8% |
| 1991 | 9.0% | +19.0% |
| 1992 | 11.9% | +32.0% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | -5.8% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 11.7% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 12.2% | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 12.3% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 15.0% | +21.9% |
| 2001 | 15.7% | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 16.0% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 18.7% | +16.6% |
| 2005 | 20.6% | +10.3% |
| 2006 | 21.8% | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 20.9% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 19.3% | -7.4% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 18.0% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 18.4% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 20.0% | +6.1% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 21.0% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 23.8% | +13.1% |
| 2021 | 26.2% | +10.3% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 24.7% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 24.3% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 27.5% | +13.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.8% | 0.5% | 2.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 3.8% | 1.4% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.3% | 7.6% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.5% | 15.0% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 18.0% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.2% | 23.8% | 27.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More population data for El Salvador
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.8534 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2367 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.8534 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.5 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 6,637 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.3467 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -1.06 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.9% (2100)
- Population density 244.85 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 204,177 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in El Salvador?
- Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in El Salvador was 27.5% in 2025, according to World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1976.
- How does El Salvador rank for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp?
- El Salvador ranks 5th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money sent or brought back by migrants refers to remittances a country has received in this year.