Net migration in El Salvador
El Salvador: Net migration was -23,934 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Net migration in El Salvador, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net migration in El Salvador is -23,934, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and up 53.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net migration in El Salvador peaked at -2,919 in 1968 and was at its lowest, -99,293, in 1998.
That places El Salvador 177th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net migration in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -4,885 | — |
| 1961 | -4,159 | -14.9% |
| 1962 | -10,307 | +147.8% |
| 1963 | -9,774 | -5.2% |
| 1964 | -7,937 | -18.8% |
| 1965 | -5,560 | -29.9% |
| 1966 | -3,945 | -29.0% |
| 1967 | -3,192 | -19.1% |
| 1968 | -2,919 | -8.6% |
| 1969 | -4,355 | +49.2% |
| 1970 | -11,367 | +161.0% |
| 1971 | -16,389 | +44.2% |
| 1972 | -17,317 | +5.7% |
| 1973 | -19,347 | +11.7% |
| 1974 | -22,844 | +18.1% |
| 1975 | -26,198 | +14.7% |
| 1976 | -31,317 | +19.5% |
| 1977 | -28,742 | -8.2% |
| 1978 | -31,463 | +9.5% |
| 1979 | -44,302 | +40.8% |
| 1980 | -71,318 | +61.0% |
| 1981 | -97,365 | +36.5% |
| 1982 | -37,159 | -61.8% |
| 1983 | -35,694 | -3.9% |
| 1984 | -29,767 | -16.6% |
| 1985 | -29,111 | -2.2% |
| 1986 | -32,181 | +10.5% |
| 1987 | -32,308 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | -30,806 | -4.6% |
| 1989 | -38,211 | +24.0% |
| 1990 | -39,689 | +3.9% |
| 1991 | -50,622 | +27.5% |
| 1992 | -48,232 | -4.7% |
| 1993 | -80,736 | +67.4% |
| 1994 | -87,318 | +8.2% |
| 1995 | -92,912 | +6.4% |
| 1996 | -95,977 | +3.3% |
| 1997 | -96,820 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | -99,293 | +2.6% |
| 1999 | -97,475 | -1.8% |
| 2000 | -94,861 | -2.7% |
| 2001 | -92,389 | -2.6% |
| 2002 | -90,908 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | -89,146 | -1.9% |
| 2004 | -87,466 | -1.9% |
| 2005 | -86,501 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | -85,789 | -0.8% |
| 2007 | -56,857 | -33.7% |
| 2008 | -56,086 | -1.4% |
| 2009 | -55,966 | -0.2% |
| 2010 | -54,688 | -2.3% |
| 2011 | -53,433 | -2.3% |
| 2012 | -50,546 | -5.4% |
| 2013 | -49,087 | -2.9% |
| 2014 | -49,126 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | -51,278 | +4.4% |
| 2016 | -47,491 | -7.4% |
| 2017 | -50,608 | +6.6% |
| 2018 | -54,163 | +7.0% |
| 2019 | -55,144 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | -25,213 | -54.3% |
| 2021 | -27,343 | +8.4% |
| 2022 | -23,255 | -15.0% |
| 2023 | -23,253 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -23,102 | -0.6% |
| 2025 | -23,934 | +3.6% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's -23,934 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -2,815, 8.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's -23,934 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -213.5, 112.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net migration in El Salvador changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -161.0% | -4,355 | -11,367 |
| 1962 | -147.8% | -4,159 | -10,307 |
| 1993 | -67.4% | -48,232 | -80,736 |
| 1980 | -61.0% | -44,302 | -71,318 |
| 1982 | +61.8% | -97,365 | -37,159 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -5,703 | -10,307 | -2,919 | 10 |
| 1970s | -24,929 | -44,302 | -11,367 | 10 |
| 1980s | -43,392 | -97,365 | -29,111 | 10 |
| 1990s | -78,907 | -99,293 | -39,689 | 10 |
| 2000s | -79,597 | -94,861 | -55,966 | 10 |
| 2010s | -51,556 | -55,144 | -47,491 | 10 |
| 2020s | -24,350 | -27,343 | -23,102 | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More financial sector data for El Salvador
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1980)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1980)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1980)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1980)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net migration in El Salvador?
- Net migration in El Salvador was -23,934 in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest net migration recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was -2,919 in 1968.
- What is the lowest net migration recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -99,293 in 1998.
- How does El Salvador rank for net migration?
- El Salvador ranks 177th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net migration rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Net migration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens.