Skip to content

Economy of Cayman Islands vs El Salvador compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

The Cayman Islands has a GDP of $7.14B compared to $35.4B for El Salvador, ranking 159/197 and 105/197 by economy size, respectively.

The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.

Cayman Islands
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
El Salvador
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Year GDP
Cayman Islands El Salvador
Current $ Constant $ Current $ Constant $
1965 - - $877,720,000 $8,436,981,024
1966 - - $929,520,000 $9,041,164,856
1967 - - $976,200,000 $9,532,719,324
1968 - - $1,009,760,100 $9,841,264,124
1969 - - $1,049,400,000 $10,184,273,395
1970 - - $1,132,920,000 $10,487,489,268
1971 - - $1,186,120,000 $10,892,123,610
1972 - - $1,263,720,000 $11,558,452,941
1973 - - $1,442,320,000 $12,120,387,185
1974 - - $1,665,880,000 $12,767,131,180
1975 - - $1,884,120,100 $13,140,382,331
1976 - - $2,328,280,100 $13,803,874,423
1977 - - $2,941,640,100 $14,739,785,630
1978 - - $3,127,960,000 $15,524,349,903
1979 - - $3,463,639,900 $14,875,390,870
1980 - - $3,573,959,900 $12,519,595,405
1981 - - $3,437,200,200 $11,803,350,547
1982 - - $3,399,189,100 $11,058,739,557
1983 - - $3,506,347,800 $11,228,936,354
1984 - - $3,661,683,400 $11,378,871,629
1985 - - $3,800,368,600 $11,448,773,885
1986 - - $3,771,663,200 $11,471,061,561
1987 - - $3,958,045,800 $11,758,775,195
1988 - - $4,189,880,000 $11,979,625,802
1989 - - $4,372,215,300 $12,095,116,486
1990 - - $4,817,542,204 $12,679,661,441
1991 - - $5,252,342,400 $12,869,106,686
1992 - - $5,813,399,300 $13,772,770,637
1993 - - $6,680,269,200 $14,574,113,893
1994 - - $7,679,384,000 $15,257,940,313
1995 - - $8,921,947,100 $15,980,263,628
1996 - - $9,586,327,800 $16,109,937,379
1997 - - $10,221,705,900 $16,615,462,392
1998 - - $10,936,669,900 $17,056,150,529
1999 - - $11,284,197,000 $17,424,910,258
2000 - - $11,784,927,700 $17,621,447,036
2001 - - $12,282,533,600 $17,776,447,691
2002 - - $12,664,190,300 $18,056,056,716
2003 - - $13,243,892,200 $18,338,704,970
2004 - - $13,724,810,900 $18,501,810,235
2005 - - $14,698,000,000 $18,997,812,331
2006 $4,200,288,241 $4,633,485,654 $15,999,890,000 $19,821,747,187
2007 $4,466,278,065 $4,780,025,440 $17,011,750,000 $20,187,974,225
2008 $4,585,949,024 $4,762,941,572 $17,986,890,000 $20,622,904,544
2009 $4,281,714,567 $4,419,986,800 $17,601,620,000 $20,188,015,255
2010 $4,156,841,107 $4,299,956,080 $18,447,920,000 $20,622,904,544
2011 $4,186,073,104 $4,350,225,241 $20,283,780,000 $21,401,127,376
2012 $4,291,004,524 $4,403,722,295 $21,386,150,000 $22,019,127,753
2013 $4,405,796,023 $4,460,060,480 $21,990,960,000 $22,499,794,814
2014 $4,562,853,611 $4,578,454,034 $22,593,470,000 $22,888,906,230
2015 $4,708,167,233 $4,708,167,233 $23,438,240,000 $23,438,240,000
2016 $4,909,322,237 $4,860,710,643 $24,191,430,000 $24,033,351,542
2017 $5,166,281,305 $5,015,477,902 $24,979,190,000 $24,573,529,737
2018 $5,530,178,441 $5,229,501,758 $26,020,850,000 $25,166,352,436
2019 $5,941,896,608 $5,434,269,977 $26,881,140,000 $25,779,775,127
2020 $5,655,358,021 $5,165,012,420 $24,921,190,000 $23,744,951,346
2021 $6,060,026,520 $5,418,352,633 $29,043,140,000 $26,571,731,219
2022 $6,600,843,963 $5,697,740,751 $31,870,120,000 $27,356,823,620
2023 $7,139,428,558 $5,946,143,785 $33,853,940,000 $28,325,024,474
2024 - - $35,364,960,000 $29,062,047,321

Economic indicators

Cayman Islands El Salvador
Gross domestic product
$7.14B
2023
$35.4B
2024
GDP rank
159/197
2023
105/197
2024
GDP growth
8.16%
2022-2023
4.46%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$97,750
2023
$5,580
2024
GDP per capita rank
6/197
2023
116/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$86,689
2023
$13,264
2024
Government debt n/a
$31B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio n/a
87.9%
2025
Government debt per person n/a
$4,887
2024
Government debt per person rank n/a
80/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$82,674
2025
$4,836
2025
Market capitalization of domestic companies
$644M
2020
n/a
Income share by richest 10% n/a
29.7%
2023
Income share by poorest 10% n/a
1.9%
2023
Government expenditure, % of GDP
14%
2025
30.5%
2025
Consumer prices inflation
-0.63%
2015-2016
0.85%
2023-2024
Unemployment rate
4.24%
2015
2.99%
2023
Population
76930
6386184

GDP per capita in Cayman Islands vs El Salvador

The Cayman Islands' GDP per capita is $97,750, ranking 6/197, compared to $5,580 in El Salvador, ranking 116/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), the Cayman Islands ranks 10th at $86,689, while El Salvador ranks 120th at $13,264.

Cayman Islands
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
El Salvador
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Year Current $
Cayman Islands El Salvador
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
1965 - - $274.3 -
1966 - - $282.4 -
1967 - - $288.4 -
1968 - - $290.1 -
1969 - - $293.4 -
1970 - - $309 -
1971 - - $316 -
1972 - - $329 -
1973 - - $366 -
1974 - - $413 -
1975 - - $457 -
1976 - - $553 -
1977 - - $684 -
1978 - - $712 -
1979 - - $773 -
1980 - - $787 -
1981 - - $752 -
1982 - - $735 -
1983 - - $745 -
1984 - - $763 -
1985 - - $776 -
1986 - - $755 -
1987 - - $777 -
1988 - - $806 -
1989 - - $825 -
1990 - - $892 $2,856
1991 - - $956 $2,945
1992 - - $1,041 $3,171
1993 - - $1,180 $3,390
1994 - - $1,344 $3,591
1995 - - $1,548 $3,808
1996 - - $1,651 $3,880
1997 - - $1,749 $4,043
1998 - - $1,860 $4,171
1999 - - $1,908 $4,298
2000 - - $1,983 $4,422
2001 - - $2,058 $4,543
2002 - - $2,115 $4,672
2003 - - $2,208 $4,829
2004 - - $2,286 $4,998
2005 - - $2,447 $5,292
2006 $87,085 $75,191 $2,666 $5,695
2007 $89,888 $77,337 $2,831 $5,949
2008 $89,655 $76,297 $2,983 $6,175
2009 $81,374 $69,254 $2,910 $6,063
2010 $76,838 $66,325 $3,040 $6,248
2011 $75,281 $66,629 $3,331 $6,594
2012 $75,102 $64,727 $3,498 $6,708
2013 $75,114 $63,648 $3,582 $7,093
2014 $75,845 $63,561 $3,666 $7,504
2015 $76,379 $64,009 $3,790 $7,934
2016 $77,802 $65,680 $3,901 $8,456
2017 $80,054 $68,018 $4,020 $8,965
2018 $83,866 $71,812 $4,184 $9,204
2019 $88,254 $72,697 $4,320 $9,757
2020 $82,339 $66,119 $3,997 $9,393
2021 $86,438 $74,151 $4,643 $10,810
2022 $92,202 $81,803 $5,075 $11,876
2023 $97,750 $86,689 $5,365 $12,680
2024 - - $5,580 $13,264

Inflation comparison by year

Over the past 7 years, the Cayman Islands has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 0.46%, compared with 1.4% in El Salvador. In 2016, inflation was -0.63% in the Cayman Islands and 0.85% in El Salvador.

Inflation
Cayman Islands

El Salvador
Year Inflation
Cayman Islands El Salvador Cayman Islands El Salvador
1996 - 9.79%
1997 - 4.49%
1998 - 2.55%
1999 - 0.51%
2000 - 2.27%
2001 - 3.75%
2002 - 1.87%
2003 - 2.12%
2004 - 4.45%
2005 - 4.69%
2006 - 4.04%
2007 - 4.58%
2008 - 6.71%
2009 - 1.06%
2010 0.28% 1.18%
2011 1.33% 5.13%
2012 1.19% 1.73%
2013 2.16% 0.76%
2014 1.27% 1.14%
2015 -2.35% -0.73%
2016 -0.63% 0.6%
2017 - 1.01%
2018 - 1.09%
2019 - 0.08%
2020 - -0.37%
2021 - 3.47%
2022 - 7.2%
2023 - 4.05%
2024 - 0.85%

Top exports between countries

Cayman Islands
Export category Export value
El Salvador
Export category Export value
Textiles & consumer goods $15K
Chemicals & pharma $10K

Balance of trade

Cayman Islands El Salvador
Current account balance
-$713M
2023
-$633M
2024
Current account balance ranking
114/189
2023
108/189
2024
Current account balance, % of GDP
-9.98%
2023
-1.79%
2024
Goods imports
$1.64B
2023
$15.1B
2024
Goods exports
$150M
2023
$5.59B
2024
Service imports
$1.8B
2023
$3.26B
2024
Service exports
$4.45B
2023
$6B
2024
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
45.8%
2020
51.9%
2024
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
59.6%
2020
32.8%
2024

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Cayman Islands El Salvador
Economic freedom 74 56.6
Economic freedom ranking 20/197 117/197
Property rights n/a 43.2
Government integrity n/a 30.9
Judicial effectiveness n/a 14.6
Tax burden n/a 78.2
Government spending n/a 72.2
Fiscal health n/a 56.1
Business freedom n/a 62.7
Labor freedom n/a 54.9
Monetary freedom n/a 66.2
Trade freedom n/a 70.4
Investment freedom n/a 70
Financial freedom n/a 60

More economic indicators

Cayman Islands El Salvador
Services, % of GDP
85.4%
2022
61%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
8.19%
2022
22.4%
2024
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
0.47%
2022
4.38%
2024
GNI, Atlas method
$4.42B
2022
$32.5B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP
$54,040
2022
$12,420
2024
Total reserves including gold
$234M
2023
$3.7B
2024
Total reserves ranking
169/177
2023
110/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment
-$5.52B
2023
-$636M
2024
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$35.9B
2024
$924M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$27.2B
2024
$288M
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
n/a
29%
2023
Poverty at national poverty lines n/a
27.2%
2023
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
n/a
20.3%
2024

GDP per capita map

GDP per capita

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Economy comparisons

Economy vs Cayman Islands vs El Salvador
Afghanistan Compare Compare
Albania Compare Compare
Algeria Compare Compare
Andorra Compare Compare
Angola Compare Compare
Antigua Compare Compare
Argentina Compare Compare
Armenia Compare Compare
Australia Compare Compare
Austria Compare Compare
Azerbaijan Compare Compare
Bahamas Compare Compare
Bahrain Compare Compare
Bangladesh Compare Compare
Barbados Compare Compare
Belarus Compare Compare
Belgium Compare Compare
Belize Compare Compare
Benin Compare Compare
Bhutan Compare Compare
Bolivia Compare Compare
Bosnia Compare Compare
Botswana Compare Compare
Brazil Compare Compare
Brunei Compare Compare
Bulgaria Compare Compare
Burkina Faso Compare Compare
Burundi Compare Compare
Cambodia Compare Compare
Cameroon Compare Compare
Canada Compare Compare
Cape Verde Compare Compare
CAR Compare Compare
Chad Compare Compare
Chile Compare Compare
China Compare Compare
Colombia Compare Compare
Comoros Compare Compare
Congo Compare Compare
Costa Rica Compare Compare
Croatia Compare Compare
Cuba Compare Compare
Curacao Compare Compare
Cyprus Compare Compare
Czech Republic Compare Compare
DR Congo Compare Compare
Denmark Compare Compare
Djibouti Compare Compare
Dominica Compare Compare
Dominican Republic Compare Compare
East Timor Compare Compare
Ecuador Compare Compare
Egypt Compare Compare
Equatorial Guinea Compare Compare
Eritrea Compare Compare
Estonia Compare Compare
Eswatini Compare Compare
Ethiopia Compare Compare
Fiji Compare Compare
Finland Compare Compare
France Compare Compare
Gabon Compare Compare
Gambia Compare Compare
Georgia Compare Compare
Germany Compare Compare
Ghana Compare Compare
Greece Compare Compare
Grenada Compare Compare
Guatemala Compare Compare
Guinea Compare Compare
Guinea-Bissau Compare Compare
Guyana Compare Compare
Haiti Compare Compare
Honduras Compare Compare
Hungary Compare Compare
Iceland Compare Compare
India Compare Compare
Indonesia Compare Compare
Iran Compare Compare
Iraq Compare Compare
Ireland Compare Compare
Israel Compare Compare
Italy Compare Compare
Ivory Coast Compare Compare
Jamaica Compare Compare
Japan Compare Compare
Jordan Compare Compare
Kazakhstan Compare Compare
Kenya Compare Compare
Kiribati Compare Compare
Kuwait Compare Compare
Kyrgyzstan Compare Compare
Laos Compare Compare
Latvia Compare Compare
Lebanon Compare Compare
Lesotho Compare Compare
Liberia Compare Compare
Libya Compare Compare
Liechtenstein Compare Compare
Lithuania Compare Compare
Luxembourg Compare Compare
Madagascar Compare Compare
Malawi Compare Compare
Malaysia Compare Compare
Maldives Compare Compare
Mali Compare Compare
Malta Compare Compare
Marshall Islands Compare Compare
Mauritania Compare Compare
Mauritius Compare Compare
Mexico Compare Compare
Moldova Compare Compare
Monaco Compare Compare
Mongolia Compare Compare
Montenegro Compare Compare
Morocco Compare Compare
Mozambique Compare Compare
Myanmar Compare Compare
Namibia Compare Compare
Nauru Compare Compare
Nepal Compare Compare
Netherlands Compare Compare
New Zealand Compare Compare
Nicaragua Compare Compare
Niger Compare Compare
Nigeria Compare Compare
North Korea Compare Compare
North Macedonia Compare Compare
Norway Compare Compare
Oman Compare Compare
Pakistan Compare Compare
Palau Compare Compare
Palestine Compare Compare
Panama Compare Compare
Papua New Guinea Compare Compare
Paraguay Compare Compare
Peru Compare Compare
Philippines Compare Compare
Poland Compare Compare
Portugal Compare Compare
Qatar Compare Compare
Romania Compare Compare
Russia Compare Compare
Rwanda Compare Compare
Saint Kitts Compare Compare
Saint Lucia Compare Compare
Saint Vincent Compare Compare
Samoa Compare Compare
San Marino Compare Compare
Sao Tome Compare Compare
Saudi Arabia Compare Compare
Senegal Compare Compare
Serbia Compare Compare
Seychelles Compare Compare
Sierra Leone Compare Compare
Singapore Compare Compare
Slovakia Compare Compare
Slovenia Compare Compare
Solomon Islands Compare Compare
Somalia Compare Compare
South Africa Compare Compare
South Korea Compare Compare
South Sudan Compare Compare
Spain Compare Compare
Sri Lanka Compare Compare
Sudan Compare Compare
Suriname Compare Compare
Sweden Compare Compare
Switzerland Compare Compare
Syria Compare Compare
Taiwan Compare Compare
Tajikistan Compare Compare
Tanzania Compare Compare
Thailand Compare Compare
Togo Compare Compare
Tonga Compare Compare
Trinidad Compare Compare
Tunisia Compare Compare
Turkey Compare Compare
Turkmenistan Compare Compare
Tuvalu Compare Compare
Uganda Compare Compare
Ukraine Compare Compare
UAE Compare Compare
United Kingdom Compare Compare
United States Compare Compare
Uruguay Compare Compare
Uzbekistan Compare Compare
Vanuatu Compare Compare
Vatican Compare Compare
Venezuela Compare Compare
Vietnam Compare Compare
Yemen Compare Compare
Zambia Compare Compare
Zimbabwe Compare Compare

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.