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Economy of El Salvador vs Vanuatu compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a GDP of $35.4B compared to $1.16B for Vanuatu, ranking 105/197 and 185/197 by economy size, respectively.

El Salvador has $31B in government debt (87.9% of GDP), compared to $518M (48.5% of GDP) in Vanuatu.

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

El Salvador
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Vanuatu
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Year GDP
El Salvador Vanuatu
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 $119,258,835 $335,975,592
1980 $3,573,959,900 $12,519,595,405 $121,185,498 $297,675,024
1981 $3,437,200,200 $11,803,350,547 $113,781,796 $310,707,108
1982 $3,399,189,100 $11,058,739,557 $114,501,913 $316,858,745
1983 $3,506,347,800 $11,228,936,354 $117,389,554 $326,395,019
1984 $3,661,683,400 $11,378,871,629 $144,482,515 $357,647,314
1985 $3,800,368,600 $11,448,773,885 $131,856,421 $361,229,593
1986 $3,771,663,200 $11,471,061,561 $126,498,935 $360,686,075
1987 $3,958,045,800 $11,758,775,195 $139,464,174 $350,248,055
1988 $4,189,880,000 $11,979,625,802 $158,351,368 $344,318,766
1989 $4,372,215,300 $12,095,116,486 $154,013,202 $349,593,363
1990 $4,817,542,204 $12,679,661,441 $168,879,207 $390,480,753
1991 $5,252,342,400 $12,869,106,686 $201,334,169 $402,771,675
1992 $5,813,399,300 $13,772,770,637 $209,088,825 $413,184,990
1993 $6,680,269,200 $14,574,113,893 $200,491,853 $416,223,750
1994 $7,679,384,000 $15,257,940,313 $233,701,301 $454,022,969
1995 $8,921,947,100 $15,980,263,628 $249,333,250 $458,581,110
1996 $9,586,327,800 $16,109,937,379 $261,370,044 $469,253,831
1997 $10,221,705,900 $16,615,462,392 $272,771,209 $492,279,237
1998 $10,936,669,900 $17,056,150,529 $262,293,411 $498,072,647
1999 $11,284,197,000 $17,424,910,258 $268,006,973 $499,752,612
2000 $11,784,927,700 $17,621,447,036 $272,014,628 $529,362,000
2001 $12,282,533,600 $17,776,447,691 $257,926,882 $511,376,490
2002 $12,664,190,300 $18,056,056,716 $262,596,536 $484,793,510
2003 $13,243,892,200 $18,338,704,970 $314,471,413 $505,583,080
2004 $13,724,810,900 $18,501,810,235 $364,996,869 $525,742,663
2005 $14,698,000,000 $18,997,812,331 $394,962,433 $553,635,028
2006 $15,999,890,000 $19,821,747,187 $439,358,587 $600,476,413
2007 $17,011,750,000 $20,187,974,225 $516,392,923 $617,745,468
2008 $17,986,890,000 $20,622,904,544 $590,748,429 $652,345,341
2009 $17,601,620,000 $20,188,015,255 $592,622,319 $672,159,049
2010 $18,447,920,000 $20,622,904,544 $670,712,980 $680,620,639
2011 $20,283,780,000 $21,401,127,376 $770,153,588 $701,990,785
2012 $21,386,150,000 $22,019,127,753 $747,839,698 $709,081,227
2013 $21,990,960,000 $22,499,794,814 $758,304,466 $712,367,041
2014 $22,593,470,000 $22,888,906,230 $773,717,011 $730,710,780
2015 $23,438,240,000 $23,438,240,000 $759,690,181 $759,690,181
2016 $24,191,430,000 $24,033,351,542 $804,323,577 $786,063,165
2017 $24,979,190,000 $24,573,529,737 $880,043,284 $820,749,507
2018 $26,020,850,000 $25,166,352,436 $914,727,908 $844,553,133
2019 $26,881,140,000 $25,779,775,127 $936,526,268 $871,926,685
2020 $24,921,190,000 $23,744,951,346 $909,421,044 $828,395,820
2021 $29,043,140,000 $26,571,731,219 $982,362,212 $815,536,674
2022 $31,870,120,000 $27,356,823,620 $1,030,654,208 $857,832,270
2023 $33,853,940,000 $28,325,024,474 $1,126,313,359 $849,555,971
2024 $35,364,960,000 $29,062,047,321 $1,161,251,868 $883,260,050

Economic indicators

El Salvador Vanuatu
Gross domestic product
$35.4B
2024
$1.16B
2024
GDP rank
105/197
2024
185/197
2024
GDP growth
4.46%
2023-2024
3.1%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$5,580
2024
$3,543
2024
GDP per capita rank
116/197
2024
133/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$13,264
2024
$3,602
2024
Government debt
$31B
2024
$518M
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
87.9%
2025
48.5%
2025
Government debt per person
$4,887
2024
$1,580
2024
Government debt per person rank
80/185
2024
126/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$4,836
2025
$2,778
2025
Income share by richest 10%
29.7%
2023
24.7%
2019
Income share by poorest 10%
1.9%
2023
3%
2019
Government expenditure, % of GDP
30.5%
2025
38.6%
2025
Consumer prices inflation
0.85%
2023-2024
11.2%
2022-2023
Unemployment rate
2.99%
2023
4.05%
2020
Population
6386184
341110

GDP per capita in El Salvador vs Vanuatu

El Salvador's GDP per capita is $5,580, ranking 116/197, compared to $3,543 in Vanuatu, ranking 133/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), El Salvador ranks 120th at $13,264, while Vanuatu ranks 170th at $3,602.

El Salvador
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Vanuatu
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Year Current $
El Salvador Vanuatu
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 - $1,055 -
1980 $787 - $1,048 -
1981 $752 - $962 -
1982 $735 - $946 -
1983 $745 - $947 -
1984 $763 - $1,137 -
1985 $776 - $1,012 -
1986 $755 - $946 -
1987 $777 - $1,017 -
1988 $806 - $1,125 -
1989 $825 - $1,067 -
1990 $892 $2,856 $1,141 $1,670
1991 $956 $2,945 $1,326 $1,737
1992 $1,041 $3,171 $1,344 $1,777
1993 $1,180 $3,390 $1,257 $1,789
1994 $1,344 $3,591 $1,431 $1,946
1995 $1,548 $3,808 $1,492 $1,961
1996 $1,651 $3,880 $1,529 $1,998
1997 $1,749 $4,043 $1,562 $2,087
1998 $1,860 $4,171 $1,471 $2,091
1999 $1,908 $4,298 $1,472 $2,084
2000 $1,983 $4,422 $1,460 $2,206
2001 $2,058 $4,543 $1,350 $2,125
2002 $2,115 $4,672 $1,341 $1,995
2003 $2,208 $4,829 $1,567 $2,070
2004 $2,286 $4,998 $1,774 $2,157
2005 $2,447 $5,292 $1,874 $2,287
2006 $2,666 $5,695 $2,035 $2,496
2007 $2,831 $5,949 $2,334 $2,573
2008 $2,983 $6,175 $2,604 $2,701
2009 $2,910 $6,063 $2,546 $2,730
2010 $3,040 $6,248 $2,815 $2,733
2011 $3,331 $6,594 $3,163 $2,816
2012 $3,498 $6,708 $3,005 $2,834
2013 $3,582 $7,093 $2,980 $2,832
2014 $3,666 $7,504 $2,973 $2,890
2015 $3,790 $7,934 $2,855 $2,966
2016 $3,901 $8,456 $2,956 $3,030
2017 $4,020 $8,965 $3,160 $3,146
2018 $4,184 $9,204 $3,207 $3,233
2019 $4,320 $9,757 $3,207 $3,315
2020 $3,997 $9,393 $3,043 $3,118
2021 $4,643 $10,810 $3,212 $3,136
2022 $5,075 $11,876 $3,292 $3,453
2023 $5,365 $12,680 $3,515 $3,461
2024 $5,580 $13,264 $3,543 $3,602

Spending and national debt comparison

In 2024, El Salvador's government spending was $11.1B, accounting for 30.5% of its GDP, while Vanuatu's spent $442M, or 38.6% of GDP.

Debt-to-GDP ratio is 87.9% in El Salvador and 48.5% in Vanuatu, ranking 35/185 and 113/185, respectively.

El Salvador
Government spending

Government debt
Vanuatu
Government spending

Government debt
Year % of GDP
El Salvador Vanuatu
Government spending Government debt Government spending Government debt
1990 15.9% - - -
1991 18.5% 43.3% 33.2% 15.9%
1992 20.8% 36.4% 31.8% 21%
1993 18.5% 31.9% 26.2% 20.3%
1994 18.9% 30.5% 24.4% 21.6%
1995 18.6% 28% 28% 24.1%
1996 21% 28.5% 24.5% 23.1%
1997 18.6% 27.8% 22.2% 22.9%
1998 19.3% 25.7% 27.9% 28%
1999 19.7% 28% 23.9% 30.6%
2000 21% 29.6% 25.4% 36.1%
2001 21.7% 37.8% 22.3% 37%
2002 22.5% 43.8% 22.3% 38.8%
2003 22.6% 46% 18.8% 38.3%
2004 21.5% 46.8% 18.5% 30.4%
2005 22.4% 46.3% 18.3% 26.3%
2006 23.4% 52.6% 20.1% 22.2%
2007 22.8% 52.2% 22.5% 19.5%
2008 24.5% 54.2% 27.8% 21.2%
2009 26% 65.8% 27.6% 21.1%
2010 25.6% 66.8% 28.3% 20.2%
2011 25.3% 65.6% 25.1% 21.3%
2012 27.4% 70% 24.5% 19.3%
2013 28.5% 69.7% 22.9% 18.6%
2014 27.6% 71.8% 23.3% 20.2%
2015 27.1% 73.5% 42.4% 36.3%
2016 27.5% 75.2% 35.2% 42.5%
2017 28.1% 77.1% 37.1% 52.6%
2018 27.6% 77% 33.3% 45.3%
2019 27.8% 77.9% 39.8% 45.1%
2020 32.7% 95.4% 43.4% 48%
2021 31.1% 88% 44.4% 48.5%
2022 28.6% 83.3% 42% 43.1%
2023 30.4% 84.7% 41.6% 40.6%
2024 31.4% 87.6% 38% 44.6%
2025 30.5% 87.9% 38.6% 48.5%

Government deficit by year

In 2024, El Salvador's government deficit, the difference between spending and revenue, was -$1.61B, equivalent to -4.55% of GDP. This compares to Vanuatu's deficit of -$75.1M, or -6.47% of GDP.

Over the past 34 years, El Salvador recorded a fiscal deficit in 34 of those years, while Vanuatu ran a deficit in 26 years. On average, El Salvador posted an annual deficit equal to -3.61% of GDP, compared to deficit of -1.68% of GDP for Vanuatu.

Deficit/surplus
El Salvador

Vanuatu
Year Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
El Salvador Vanuatu
1990 -0.61% -
1991 -2.3% -2.81%
1992 -4.29% -2.32%
1993 -1.42% -3.67%
1994 -0.94% -1.49%
1995 -0.18% -2.59%
1996 -2.7% -1.78%
1997 -1.97% -0.51%
1998 -2.94% -6.65%
1999 -3.08% -0.55%
2000 -3.45% -6.28%
2001 -4.95% -3.33%
2002 -5.5% -3.63%
2003 -4.23% -1.35%
2004 -2.76% 0.8%
2005 -3.47% 1.86%
2006 -3.42% 0.49%
2007 -2.32% 0.28%
2008 -3.8% -0.04%
2009 -6.65% -0.85%
2010 -4.97% -2.63%
2011 -4.47% -2.19%
2012 -3.81% -1.7%
2013 -4.46% -0.25%
2014 -4.02% 1.44%
2015 -3.63% -8.66%
2016 -3.1% -0.72%
2017 -2.53% -1.2%
2018 -2.71% 6.26%
2019 -3.07% 2.81%
2020 -8.18% -1.95%
2021 -5.53% 2.38%
2022 -2.67% -6.5%
2023 -4.66% -3.47%
2024 -4.55% -6.47%
2025 -3.38% -5.96%

Inflation comparison by year

Over the past 28 years, El Salvador has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 2.83%, compared with 2.93% in Vanuatu. In 2023, inflation was 0.85% in El Salvador and 11.2% in Vanuatu.

Inflation
El Salvador

Vanuatu
Year Inflation
El Salvador Vanuatu El Salvador Vanuatu
1996 9.79% 0.91%
1997 4.49% 2.83%
1998 2.55% 3.28%
1999 0.51% 2%
2000 2.27% 2.54%
2001 3.75% 3.58%
2002 1.87% 1.96%
2003 2.12% 3.02%
2004 4.45% 1.42%
2005 4.69% 1.2%
2006 4.04% 2.04%
2007 4.58% 3.94%
2008 6.71% 4.84%
2009 1.06% 4.3%
2010 1.18% 2.76%
2011 5.13% 0.87%
2012 1.73% 1.35%
2013 0.76% 1.46%
2014 1.14% 0.8%
2015 -0.73% 2.48%
2016 0.6% 0.84%
2017 1.01% 3.08%
2018 1.09% 2.33%
2019 0.08% 2.76%
2020 -0.37% 5.33%
2021 3.47% 2.34%
2022 7.2% 6.68%
2023 4.05% 11.2%
2024 0.85% -

Balance of trade

El Salvador Vanuatu
Current account balance
-$633M
2024
-$127M
2022
Current account balance ranking
108/189
2024
88/189
2022
Current account balance, % of GDP
-1.79%
2024
-12.4%
2022
Goods imports
$15.1B
2024
$350M
2022
Goods exports
$5.59B
2024
$73.6M
2022
Service imports
$3.26B
2024
$230M
2022
Service exports
$6B
2024
$78.5M
2022
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
51.9%
2024
55.5%
2022
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
32.8%
2024
9.65%
2022

Economic freedom indices

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

El Salvador Vanuatu
Economic freedom 56.6 61.8
Economic freedom ranking 117/197 86/197
Property rights 43.2 61.4
Government integrity 30.9 48.1
Judicial effectiveness 14.6 71.3
Tax burden 78.2 97.6
Government spending 72.2 43.1
Fiscal health 56.1 85.4
Business freedom 62.7 55.5
Labor freedom 54.9 48.8
Monetary freedom 66.2 65.7
Trade freedom 70.4 59.4
Investment freedom 70 65
Financial freedom 60 40

Economic freedom by year comparison

The Economic Freedom Index for El Salvador is 56.6, ranking 117/197, compared to 61.8 for Vanuatu, ranking 86/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

El Salvador
Vanuatu
Year Economic freedom index
El Salvador Vanuatu
1995 69.1 -
1996 70.1 -
1997 70.5 -
1998 70.2 -
1999 75.1 -
2000 76.3 -
2001 73 -
2002 73 -
2003 71.5 -
2004 71.2 -
2005 71.5 -
2006 69.6 -
2007 68.9 -
2008 68.5 -
2009 69.8 58.4
2010 69.9 56.4
2011 68.8 56.7
2012 68.7 56.6
2013 66.7 56.6
2014 66.2 59.5
2015 65.7 61.1
2016 65.1 60.8
2017 64.1 67.4
2018 63.2 69.5
2019 61.8 56.4
2020 61.6 60.7
2021 61 60.5
2022 59.6 62.9
2023 56 62.1
2024 54.4 62.2
2025 56.6 61.8

More economic indicators

El Salvador Vanuatu
Services, % of GDP
61%
2024
60.4%
2022
Industry, % of GDP
22.4%
2024
7.55%
2022
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
4.38%
2024
24.9%
2022
GNI, Atlas method
$32.5B
2024
$1.29B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP
$12,420
2024
$4,120
2024
Total reserves including gold
$3.7B
2024
$615M
2024
Total reserves ranking
110/177
2024
152/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment
-$636M
2024
-$9.21M
2022
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$924M
2024
$28.9M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$288M
2024
$2.79M
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
29%
2023
1.99%
2023
Poverty at national poverty lines
27.2%
2023
15.9%
2020
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
20.3%
2024
39.2%
2022

GDP per capita map

GDP per capita

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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.