El Salvador Reserves in Months of Imports
Total reserves in months of imports FI.RES.TOTL.MO
El Salvador's reserves in months of imports was 1.5 in 2025, ranked 127th globally. This represents a 30.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1976–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's reserves in months of imports stood at 1.5 in 2025, a decline of +0.6 from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.5 by 2025. El Salvador ranked 127th globally.
El Salvador’s reserves cover 1.48 months of imports in 2025, placing the country at 127th in the global ranking and marking the lowest point in the series since coverage began in 1976. The indicator fell from an early‑period high of 3.33 months in 1976 and a post‑civil‑war peak of 5.65 months in 1999, reflecting a long‑term contraction of buffer stocks that once exceeded five months of import needs. By contrast, peers such as Bahrain (1.59 months) and Kosovo (1.46 months) occupy nearby positions, underscoring that the current level is comparable to other small, open economies but remains below the regional average. The downward trajectory is driven by a combination of limited fiscal space, persistent current‑account deficits and modest export growth, which together constrain the ability to accumulate foreign exchange. Unless policy measures boost export earnings, improve trade balances or attract additional external financing, the reserve cover is likely to remain near the recent trough, limiting resilience to external shocks.
Data & projection
| Year | Reserves in Months of Imports | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 1.0 | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 1.2 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.5 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.5 | −0.6 | #127 |
| 2024 | 2.1 | +0.2 | #96 |
| 2023 | 1.9 | +0.3 | #120 |
| 2022 | 1.6 | −0.8 | #131 |
| 2021 | 2.4 | −0.7 | #129 |
| 2020 | 3.1 | −0.7 | #123 |
| 2019 | 3.8 | +0.7 | #96 |
| 2018 | 3.1 | −0.3 | #109 |
| 2017 | 3.3 | +0.1 | #106 |
| 2016 | 3.2 | +0.5 | #108 |
| 2015 | 2.8 | +0.1 | #120 |
| 2014 | 2.7 | −0.0 | #119 |
| 2013 | 2.7 | −0.6 | #121 |
| 2012 | 3.3 | +0.6 | #103 |
| 2011 | 2.7 | −1.0 | #119 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw reserves in months of imports improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's reserves in months of imports was 1.5 in 2025. Ranked 127th globally. This represents a 30.1% decrease from the previous year.
El Salvador's reserves in months of imports peaked at 5.7 in 1999.
The lowest reserves in months of imports in El Salvador was 1.5 in 2025.
El Salvador ranks 127th globally in reserves in months of imports as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is FI.RES.TOTL.MO. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's reserves in months of imports is projected to reach 1.5 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The reserves in months of imports of El Salvador in 2025 was 1.5. This ranks 127th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_reserves-months-imports,
title = {El Salvador Reserves in Months of Imports},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/reserves-months-imports/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}