Total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador
El Salvador: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador, 1989–2023
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2023, total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador stood at 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices.
The figure is down 11.1% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador peaked at 898.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1998 and was at its lowest, 47.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2019.
El Salvador ranks 56th of 120 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.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 747.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1991 | 828.10 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 501.87 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -39.4% |
| 1996 | 564.34 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.4% |
| 1998 | 898.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +59.2% |
| 1999 | 732.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -18.5% |
| 2000 | 498.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -31.9% |
| 2001 | 560.72 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.5% |
| 2002 | 579.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 665.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +15.0% |
| 2004 | 462.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -30.6% |
| 2005 | 422.50 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.6% |
| 2006 | 259.62 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -38.6% |
| 2007 | 169.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -34.7% |
| 2008 | 254.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +49.8% |
| 2009 | 246.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 212.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -13.8% |
| 2011 | 178.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -15.7% |
| 2012 | 154.60 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -13.6% |
| 2013 | 124.50 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.5% |
| 2014 | 116.67 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 79.55 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -31.8% |
| 2016 | 93.16 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.1% |
| 2017 | 74.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.9% |
| 2018 | 64.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 47.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -26.2% |
| 2021 | 140.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +196.1% |
| 2022 | 135.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -11.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 3.5× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 120.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 100% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total shortfall from extreme poverty 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +196.1% | 47.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 140.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 747.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 747.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 747.59 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 1990s | 704.96 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 501.87 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 898.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 5 |
| 2000s | 411.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 169.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 665.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 114.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 47.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 212.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 131.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 140.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 53 Laos 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 54 Mauritania 123.29 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 55 Nicaragua 120.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 57 Nepal 102.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 58 Sri Lanka 98.27 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 59 Bolivia 86.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More poverty & inequality data for El Salvador
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.77 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,819 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 20.61 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 20.6% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in El Salvador was 120.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 898.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1998.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.38 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019.
- How does El Salvador rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- El Salvador ranks 56th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.