Military spending in El Salvador
El Salvador: Military spending was 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
509.92 million constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 11.1%
World rank
111th
of 172 countries
All-time high
524.82 million constant 2022 US$
in 1985
All-time low
1.92 million constant 2022 US$
in 1924
Years of data
149
1875–2023
Military spending in El Salvador, 1875–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending in El Salvador stood at 509.92 million constant 2022 US$.
That represents a change of up 11.1% on the previous year and up 169.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in El Salvador peaked at 524.82 million constant 2022 US$ in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.92 million constant 2022 US$, in 1924.
El Salvador ranks 111th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1875 | 39.35 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1876 | 20.46 million constant 2022 US$ | -48.0% |
| 1877 | 17.79 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.0% |
| 1878 | 20.25 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.8% |
| 1879 | 19.84 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1880 | 17.39 million constant 2022 US$ | -12.4% |
| 1881 | 17.46 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.4% |
| 1882 | 16.67 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1883 | 14.75 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.5% |
| 1884 | 14.91 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1885 | 14.63 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1886 | 15.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 1887 | 14.58 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.2% |
| 1888 | 16.38 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.4% |
| 1889 | 19.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.7% |
| 1890 | 32.64 million constant 2022 US$ | +65.1% |
| 1891 | 30.90 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.3% |
| 1892 | 33.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.3% |
| 1893 | 33.13 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.0% |
| 1894 | 38.83 million constant 2022 US$ | +17.2% |
| 1895 | 37.87 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.5% |
| 1896 | 36.34 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.1% |
| 1897 | 32.51 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.5% |
| 1898 | 30.60 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1899 | 25.81 million constant 2022 US$ | -15.7% |
| 1900 | 23.50 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1901 | 23.25 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1902 | 21.64 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.9% |
| 1903 | 20.19 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.7% |
| 1904 | 20.03 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1905 | 20.66 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1906 | 24.36 million constant 2022 US$ | +17.9% |
| 1907 | 26.60 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.2% |
| 1908 | 27.61 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
| 1909 | 30.00 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.7% |
| 1910 | 29.48 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1911 | 31.54 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.0% |
| 1912 | 30.92 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1913 | 34.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.3% |
| 1914 | 28.90 million constant 2022 US$ | -16.8% |
| 1915 | 33.61 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.3% |
| 1916 | 31.64 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1917 | 27.26 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.8% |
| 1918 | 23.50 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.8% |
| 1919 | 19.17 million constant 2022 US$ | -18.4% |
| 1920 | 14.70 million constant 2022 US$ | -23.4% |
| 1921 | 2.44 million constant 2022 US$ | -83.4% |
| 1922 | 2.37 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.7% |
| 1923 | 2.16 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.8% |
| 1924 | 1.92 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.4% |
| 1925 | 2.21 million constant 2022 US$ | +15.4% |
| 1926 | 2.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.8% |
| 1927 | 2.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.0% |
| 1928 | 2.83 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.0% |
| 1929 | 2.86 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1930 | 2.53 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.6% |
| 1931 | 2.57 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1932 | 2.26 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.9% |
| 1933 | 2.23 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1934 | 18.98 million constant 2022 US$ | +749.5% |
| 1935 | 22.90 million constant 2022 US$ | +20.6% |
| 1936 | 23.15 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1937 | 22.91 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1938 | 24.45 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.7% |
| 1939 | 24.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1940 | 25.07 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1941 | 24.32 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.0% |
| 1942 | 22.15 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1943 | 20.54 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.2% |
| 1944 | 21.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.5% |
| 1945 | 24.73 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.0% |
| 1946 | 21.25 million constant 2022 US$ | -14.1% |
| 1947 | 22.52 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.0% |
| 1948 | 23.03 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1949 | 30.77 million constant 2022 US$ | +33.6% |
| 1950 | 36.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.5% |
| 1951 | 41.18 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.9% |
| 1952 | 48.26 million constant 2022 US$ | +17.2% |
| 1953 | 54.86 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.7% |
| 1954 | 54.61 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1955 | 55.48 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 58.50 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 1957 | 65.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.1% |
| 1958 | 59.26 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.9% |
| 1959 | 48.57 million constant 2022 US$ | -18.0% |
| 1960 | 45.11 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.1% |
| 1961 | 50.51 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.0% |
| 1962 | 60.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.2% |
| 1963 | 56.54 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.1% |
| 1964 | 59.35 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 1965 | 63.75 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.4% |
| 1966 | 61.47 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 60.76 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 61.42 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 99.80 million constant 2022 US$ | +62.5% |
| 1970 | 65.51 million constant 2022 US$ | -34.4% |
| 1971 | 68.84 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1972 | 76.68 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1973 | 87.06 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.5% |
| 1974 | 90.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 95.49 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 107.06 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.1% |
| 1977 | 132.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +24.0% |
| 1978 | 157.00 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.3% |
| 1979 | 213.46 million constant 2022 US$ | +36.0% |
| 1980 | 211.96 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 283.67 million constant 2022 US$ | +33.8% |
| 1982 | 325.16 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.6% |
| 1983 | 340.93 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 489.69 million constant 2022 US$ | +43.6% |
| 1985 | 524.82 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 402.97 million constant 2022 US$ | -23.2% |
| 1987 | 418.71 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 411.33 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 365.57 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.1% |
| 1990 | 327.35 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.5% |
| 1991 | 312.80 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.4% |
| 1992 | 242.63 million constant 2022 US$ | -22.4% |
| 1993 | 222.04 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.5% |
| 1994 | 216.06 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 220.29 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 217.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 220.62 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 226.03 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 228.78 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 225.86 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 213.41 million constant 2022 US$ | -5.5% |
| 2002 | 189.08 million constant 2022 US$ | -11.4% |
| 2003 | 161.69 million constant 2022 US$ | -14.5% |
| 2004 | 163.57 million constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 152.01 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.1% |
| 2006 | 158.16 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 152.71 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 162.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 175.00 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 174.79 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 191.55 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 188.57 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 189.54 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 193.49 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 201.43 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 196.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 217.84 million constant 2022 US$ | +10.8% |
| 2018 | 225.41 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 268.14 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.0% |
| 2020 | 335.29 million constant 2022 US$ | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 407.76 million constant 2022 US$ | +21.6% |
| 2022 | 458.89 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.5% |
| 2023 | 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.25 billion constant 2022 US$, 41% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 509.92 million constant 2022 US$, 1.0× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in El Salvador changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | +749.5% | 2.23 million constant 2022 US$ | 18.98 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1921 | -83.4% | 14.70 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.44 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 23.54 million constant 2022 US$ | 17.79 million constant 2022 US$ | 39.35 million constant 2022 US$ | 5 |
| 1880s | 16.24 million constant 2022 US$ | 14.58 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1890s | 33.18 million constant 2022 US$ | 25.81 million constant 2022 US$ | 38.83 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1900s | 23.78 million constant 2022 US$ | 20.03 million constant 2022 US$ | 30.00 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1910s | 29.07 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.17 million constant 2022 US$ | 34.72 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1920s | 3.64 million constant 2022 US$ | 1.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 14.70 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1930s | 14.67 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.23 million constant 2022 US$ | 24.76 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1940s | 23.63 million constant 2022 US$ | 20.54 million constant 2022 US$ | 30.77 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1950s | 52.22 million constant 2022 US$ | 36.47 million constant 2022 US$ | 65.01 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 61.89 million constant 2022 US$ | 45.11 million constant 2022 US$ | 99.80 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 109.40 million constant 2022 US$ | 65.51 million constant 2022 US$ | 213.46 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 377.48 million constant 2022 US$ | 211.96 million constant 2022 US$ | 524.82 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 243.42 million constant 2022 US$ | 216.06 million constant 2022 US$ | 327.35 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 175.37 million constant 2022 US$ | 152.01 million constant 2022 US$ | 225.86 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 204.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 174.79 million constant 2022 US$ | 268.14 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 427.96 million constant 2022 US$ | 335.29 million constant 2022 US$ | 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 108 Cameroon 545.00 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 109 Nepal 530.13 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 110 Senegal 527.57 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 112 Guinea 507.79 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 113 Georgia 498.02 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 114 Guatemala 494.92 million constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for El Salvador
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2714 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.6267 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0909 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3176 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4948 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in El Salvador?
- Military spending in El Salvador was 509.92 million constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 524.82 million constant 2022 US$ in 1985.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 million constant 2022 US$ in 1924.
- How does El Salvador rank for military spending?
- El Salvador ranks 111th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 169.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.