Military expenditure (current LCU) in El Salvador
El Salvador: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 490.00 million current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
490.00 million current LCU
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
152nd
of 168 countries
All-time high
490.60 million current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
4.38 million current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in El Salvador, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in El Salvador stood at 490.00 million current LCU.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 97.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in El Salvador peaked at 490.60 million current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.38 million current LCU, in 1960.
El Salvador ranks 152nd of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.38 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 4.44 million current LCU | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 6.22 million current LCU | +40.0% |
| 1963 | 6.10 million current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1964 | 5.72 million current LCU | -6.2% |
| 1965 | 6.48 million current LCU | +13.3% |
| 1966 | 6.59 million current LCU | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 6.78 million current LCU | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 6.62 million current LCU | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 7.51 million current LCU | +13.4% |
| 1970 | 7.14 million current LCU | -5.0% |
| 1971 | 8.52 million current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1972 | 11.14 million current LCU | +30.8% |
| 1973 | 12.48 million current LCU | +12.0% |
| 1974 | 13.35 million current LCU | +7.0% |
| 1975 | 15.65 million current LCU | +17.2% |
| 1976 | 20.53 million current LCU | +31.2% |
| 1977 | 28.59 million current LCU | +39.2% |
| 1978 | 34.99 million current LCU | +22.4% |
| 1979 | 54.64 million current LCU | +56.2% |
| 1980 | 62.06 million current LCU | +13.6% |
| 1981 | 78.35 million current LCU | +26.3% |
| 1982 | 94.37 million current LCU | +20.4% |
| 1983 | 124.53 million current LCU | +32.0% |
| 1984 | 235.93 million current LCU | +89.5% |
| 1985 | 250.43 million current LCU | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 163.31 million current LCU | -34.8% |
| 1987 | 176.89 million current LCU | +8.3% |
| 1988 | 178.96 million current LCU | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 213.03 million current LCU | +19.0% |
| 1990 | 163.89 million current LCU | -23.1% |
| 1991 | 145.13 million current LCU | -11.4% |
| 1992 | 134.19 million current LCU | -7.5% |
| 1993 | 116.47 million current LCU | -13.2% |
| 1994 | 109.33 million current LCU | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 111.64 million current LCU | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 110.83 million current LCU | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 112.21 million current LCU | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 110.83 million current LCU | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 114.74 million current LCU | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 110.37 million current LCU | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 150.65 million current LCU | +36.5% |
| 2002 | 161.70 million current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 126.60 million current LCU | -21.7% |
| 2004 | 128.00 million current LCU | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 132.90 million current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 142.10 million current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 165.60 million current LCU | +16.5% |
| 2008 | 173.00 million current LCU | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 189.90 million current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 201.00 million current LCU | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 220.70 million current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2012 | 224.30 million current LCU | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 237.50 million current LCU | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 233.90 million current LCU | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 247.70 million current LCU | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 247.60 million current LCU | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 260.90 million current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 294.61 million current LCU | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 317.20 million current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 343.90 million current LCU | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 351.58 million current LCU | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 458.49 million current LCU | +30.4% |
| 2023 | 454.77 million current LCU | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 490.60 million current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2025 | 490.00 million current LCU | -0.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 490.00 million current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.44 billion current LCU, 1% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 490.00 million current LCU is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.18 billion current LCU, 4% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +89.5% | 124.53 million current LCU | 235.93 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.09 million current LCU | 4.38 million current LCU | 7.51 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.70 million current LCU | 7.14 million current LCU | 54.64 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 157.79 million current LCU | 62.06 million current LCU | 250.43 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 122.93 million current LCU | 109.33 million current LCU | 163.89 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 148.08 million current LCU | 110.37 million current LCU | 189.90 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 248.54 million current LCU | 201.00 million current LCU | 317.20 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 431.56 million current LCU | 343.90 million current LCU | 490.60 million current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 149 Lesotho 713.77 million current LCU compare
- 150 Cyprus 588.00 million current LCU compare
- 151 Bahrain 552.02 million current LCU compare
- 153 Papua New Guinea 441.91 million current LCU compare
- 154 Seychelles 408.85 million current LCU compare
- 155 Bosnia and Herzegovina 401.19 million current LCU compare
More public sector data for El Salvador
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in El Salvador?
- Military expenditure in El Salvador was 490.00 million current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 490.60 million current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.38 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does El Salvador rank for military expenditure?
- El Salvador ranks 152nd out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)