Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala
Guatemala: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 15.41 billion current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala, 1977–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2021, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala stood at 15.41 billion current US$. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 35.1% on the previous year and up 239.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala peaked at 15.41 billion current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 100,000 current US$, in 1987.
Guatemala ranks 12th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 14.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 21.60 million current US$ | +54.3% |
| 1979 | 23.60 million current US$ | +9.3% |
| 1980 | 26.20 million current US$ | +11.0% |
| 1981 | 24.50 million current US$ | -6.5% |
| 1982 | 10.70 million current US$ | -56.3% |
| 1983 | 3.90 million current US$ | -63.6% |
| 1984 | 3.40 million current US$ | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 1.00 million current US$ | -70.6% |
| 1986 | 700,000 current US$ | -30.0% |
| 1987 | 100,000 current US$ | -85.7% |
| 1988 | 45.70 million current US$ | +45600.0% |
| 1989 | 85.00 million current US$ | +86.0% |
| 1990 | 118.70 million current US$ | +39.6% |
| 1991 | 178.90 million current US$ | +50.7% |
| 1992 | 230.60 million current US$ | +28.9% |
| 1993 | 240.80 million current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 284.50 million current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1995 | 357.50 million current US$ | +25.7% |
| 1996 | 375.40 million current US$ | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 408.00 million current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1998 | 456.50 million current US$ | +11.9% |
| 1999 | 465.60 million current US$ | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 596.20 million current US$ | +28.0% |
| 2001 | 633.75 million current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 1.60 billion current US$ | +152.5% |
| 2003 | 2.15 billion current US$ | +34.2% |
| 2004 | 2.63 billion current US$ | +22.4% |
| 2005 | 3.07 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2006 | 3.70 billion current US$ | +20.7% |
| 2007 | 4.24 billion current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2008 | 4.43 billion current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 4.00 billion current US$ | -9.6% |
| 2010 | 4.22 billion current US$ | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 4.53 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 4.97 billion current US$ | +9.5% |
| 2013 | 5.30 billion current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2014 | 5.75 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 6.48 billion current US$ | +12.7% |
| 2016 | 7.36 billion current US$ | +13.6% |
| 2017 | 8.39 billion current US$ | +14.0% |
| 2018 | 9.44 billion current US$ | +12.4% |
| 2019 | 10.66 billion current US$ | +12.9% |
| 2020 | 11.41 billion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 15.41 billion current US$ | +35.1% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 15.41 billion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 979.33 million current US$, 15.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 15.41 billion current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 416.24 million current US$, 37.0× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +45600.0% | 100,000 current US$ | 45.70 million current US$ |
| 2002 | +152.5% | 633.75 million current US$ | 1.60 billion current US$ |
| 1987 | -85.7% | 700,000 current US$ | 100,000 current US$ |
| 1985 | -70.6% | 3.40 million current US$ | 1.00 million current US$ |
| 1983 | -63.6% | 10.70 million current US$ | 3.90 million current US$ |
| 1989 | +86.0% | 45.70 million current US$ | 85.00 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.73 million current US$ | 14.00 million current US$ | 23.60 million current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 20.12 million current US$ | 100,000 current US$ | 85.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 311.65 million current US$ | 118.70 million current US$ | 465.60 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.70 billion current US$ | 596.20 million current US$ | 4.43 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.71 billion current US$ | 4.22 billion current US$ | 10.66 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.41 billion current US$ | 11.41 billion current US$ | 15.41 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More reference data data for Guatemala
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9286 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1246 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 7.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 18.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6786 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Guatemala was 15.41 billion current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 15.41 billion current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 100,000 current US$ in 1987.
- How does Guatemala rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Guatemala ranks 12th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 239.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.