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flag El Salvador El Salvador: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

El Salvador is open to international trade which is supported by the privatization of most of its sectors as well as the promotion in textile production, tourism and international port services.  

Customs duties are relatively low. El Salvador has very few trade barriers that affect the import of manufactured goods into the country; however, there are a few barriers on services. El Salvador has taken steps to simplify and modernize its customs procedures and has been implementing the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement since March 2002. The country has a “Teledespacho” system which allows an importer/exporter to connect himself electronically directly into the Central Customs Service and to present as well as to process all his documents from his own office, reducing the documentation processing time from two or three weeks to just a few hours. 

The country has a structural deficit balance, a trend which should continue during the next decade.

The main trading partners of El Salvador are the countries of the Central American Common Market (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador), the countries of the North American Free Trade Agreement (USA, Mexico and Canada) and China. The USA represents 57% of the exports and 41% of Salvadorian imports.

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20062007200820092010
Imports of Goods (million USD) 7,6638,7129,7557,2558,548
Exports of Goods (million USD) 3,7063,9844,5493,7974,472
Imports of Services (million USD) 1,4791,7181,9721,2311,374
Exports of Services (million USD) 1,3871,4561,483806971
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 865-2326
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 8-26-1610
Trade Balance (million USD) -3,636-4,365-4,677-3,108-3,612
Current Account (million USD) -671-1,183-1,596-373-
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 7472746064
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 4747483841
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 2725262223

Source: WTO - World Trade Organization ; World Bank - Last Available Data.

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Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2010
United States 48.4%
Guatemala 14.0%
Honduras 12.9%
Nicaragua 5.4%
Costa Rica 3.6%
See More Countries 15.8%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2010
United States 36.9%
Guatemala 9.5%
Mexico 8.9%
China 5.7%
Honduras 4.4%
See More Countries 34.7%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

Main Products

Main Exports
(% of Exports)
2010
T-shirts, singlets and other vests, knitted or...T-shirts, singlets and other vests, knitted or crocheted 16.4%
Coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinated;...Coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinated; coffee husks and skins; coffee substitutes containing coffee in any proportion 4.7%
Electrical capacitors, fixed, variable or...Electrical capacitors, fixed, variable or adjustable "pre-set"; parts thereof 4.2%
Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and...Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles, knitted or crocheted (excl. wadded waistcoats) 3.9%
Panty hose, tights, stockings, socks and other...Panty hose, tights, stockings, socks and other hosiery, incl. stockings for varicose veins and footwear without applied soles, knitted or crocheted (excl. for babies) 3.7%
See More Products 67.0%
Main Imports
(% of Imports)
2010
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 8.1%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 5.6%
Fabrics, knitted or crocheted, of a width of > 30...Fabrics, knitted or crocheted, of a width of > 30 cm (excl. warp knit fabrics "incl. those made on galloon knitting machines", those containing by weight >= 5% of elastomeric yarn or rubber thread, and pile fabrics, incl. "long pile", looped pile fabrics, labels, badges and similar articles, and knitted or crocheted fabrics, impregnated, coated, covered or laminated) 3.5%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 3.3%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 2.2%
See More Products 77.4%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

 

To go further, check out our service Import export flows

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Commercial Policy

Main International Economic Cooperation
Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTTA)

Signatory of CAFTA-DR Trade Agreement

Member of Central American Common Market (CACM)

Member of Central America Four (CA-4)

Assessment of Commercial Policy
Country’s commercial policy
Barriers to exchanges
Average Customs Duty (Excluding Agricultural Products)
5.85%
 

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties and local taxes

 
Useful Resources
Directorate General of Customs



National Organization of Intellectual Property
The National Center of Registries.
 

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Learn more about How to Export to El Salvador on Globaltrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Services.
 

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Last Updates: January 2012

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