El Salvador Debt Service
Total debt service as % of exports DT.TDS.DECT.EX.ZS
El Salvador's debt service was 85.33% in 2025, ranked 1st globally. This represents a 11.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1976–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's debt service stood at 85.33% in 2025, a decline of +10.87% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 85.33% by 2025. El Salvador ranked 1st globally.
El Salvador’s debt‑service ratio has risen dramatically over the past five decades, moving from a low of 10.94 in 1976 to an all‑time trough of 7.96 in 1980 before accelerating sharply in recent years. The indicator peaked at 96.20 in 2024 and reached 85.33 in 2025, the highest value among all countries monitored by the World Bank. This upward trajectory places El Salvador well above its closest peers, with Haiti reporting 52.95 and Mozambique 52.62 for the same year, underscoring a markedly higher burden of external repayments. The steep increase reflects a combination of expanding public borrowing, fiscal deficits and higher interest rates on sovereign debt, which together have compressed fiscal space and heightened vulnerability to external shocks. If fiscal consolidation measures and debt‑restructuring initiatives are not pursued, the debt‑service ratio is likely to remain elevated, potentially pressuring the government to adjust spending or seek additional financing to sustain the current trajectory.
Data & projection
| Year | Debt Service | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 94.03% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 89.68% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 85.33% | - | - |
| 2025 | 85.33% | −10.87% | #1 |
| 2024 | 96.20% | +13.13% | #108 |
| 2023 | 83.07% | +50.92% | #113 |
| 2022 | 32.15% | −35.73% | #109 |
| 2021 | 67.88% | −14.15% | #114 |
| 2020 | 82.03% | +14.28% | #115 |
| 2019 | 67.75% | +22.22% | #113 |
| 2018 | 45.53% | −6.09% | #109 |
| 2017 | 51.62% | +31.56% | #111 |
| 2016 | 20.06% | +1.49% | #86 |
| 2015 | 18.58% | −0.68% | #84 |
| 2014 | 19.26% | +1.84% | #94 |
| 2013 | 17.42% | −1.73% | #93 |
| 2012 | 19.15% | −3.01% | #99 |
| 2011 | 22.16% | +0.02% | #102 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw debt service improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's debt service was 85.33% in 2025. Ranked 1st globally. This represents a 11.3% decrease from the previous year.
El Salvador's debt service peaked at 96.20% in 2024.
The lowest debt service in El Salvador was 7.96% in 1980.
El Salvador ranks 1st globally in debt service as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is DT.TDS.DECT.EX.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's debt service is projected to reach 85.33% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The debt service of El Salvador in 2025 was 85.33%. This ranks 1st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_debt-service,
title = {El Salvador Debt Service},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/debt-service/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}