El Salvador and Honduras
The relationship between El Salvador and Honduras combines border cooperation with differences over entry procedures. In May 2026, Honduras restricted the passage of uniformed Salvadoran personnel but allowed civilians and educational materials to enter.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
On 19 May 2026, Honduran authorities restricted entry for uniformed members of a Salvadoran delegation carrying educational materials to border communities.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between El Salvador and Honduras totalled 1,804.8 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from El Salvador to Honduras, at 51.3 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 1,804.83 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: El Salvador to Honduras | 1,076.17 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Honduras to El Salvador | 728.66 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: El Salvador to Honduras | 16.74 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Honduras to El Salvador | ||
| Investment stock: El Salvador in Honduras | ||
| Investment stock: Honduras in El Salvador |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter SLV. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: El Salvador to Honduras
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter SLV. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Honduras to El Salvador
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter SLV. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: El Salvador to Honduras
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | El Salvador | Honduras |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 36.71 billion USD2025 · WB | 39.6 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 5,766.73 USD2025 · WB | 3,598.21 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 3.91 %2025 · WB | 3.75 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 0.26 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 4.6 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 3.3 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 4.92 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -0.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 87.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 41.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -3.54 %2025 · WB | 2.36 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 6,365,5032025 · WB | 11,005,8502025 · WB |
| Area | 21,040 km²2023 · WB | 112,490 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDEl Salvador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personEl Salvador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)El Salvador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)El Salvador: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionEl Salvador: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)El Salvador: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Honduras: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)El Salvador: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Honduras: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPEl Salvador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeopleEl Salvador: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceEl Salvador: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.Honduras: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
El Salvador to Honduras
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Mineral fuels and oils | 51.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 33.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 18.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 14.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 13.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 7.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.0492 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0.011 M USD2025 · Source |
Honduras to El Salvador
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 28.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 14 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 8.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.759 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.123 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.0076 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | El Salvador to Honduras | Honduras to El Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,903.5 | 1,054.6 | 848.9 |
| 2022 | 2,145.1 | 1,184.8 | 960.4 |
| 2023 | 1,847.9 | 1,059.2 | 788.7 |
| 2024 | 1,757.1 | 1,018.8 | 738.3 |
| 2025 | 1,804.8 | 1,076.2 | 728.7 |
Connections between people
On 19 May 2026, Honduran authorities restricted entry for uniformed members of a Salvadoran delegation carrying educational materials to border communities. The following day, President Nasry Asfura stated that relations remained cordial and maintained that the Salvadoran education minister had understood the procedure explained by the Honduran soldier. [1] [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from El Salvador living in Honduras | ||
| Residents from Honduras living in El Salvador | ||
| Study and training: El Salvador in Honduras | ||
| Study and training: Honduras in El Salvador | ||
| Academic stays: El Salvador in Honduras | ||
| Academic stays: Honduras in El Salvador | ||
| Travel: El Salvador to Honduras | ||
| Travel: Honduras to El Salvador |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for El Salvador is 36.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 39.6 for Honduras (2025). The reference populations are 6.37 and 11.01 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of El Salvador was 0.927 times that of Honduras in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
On 19 May 2026, Honduran authorities restricted entry for uniformed members of a Salvadoran delegation carrying educational materials to border communities. Honduran public television explained that civilian staff and materials were allowed to enter. [1] [2]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
According to the Honduran account, the restriction responded to the lack of prior authorization or diplomatic coordination required for foreign military personnel in active uniform. The following day, President Nasry Asfura stated that relations remained cordial and maintained that the Salvadoran education minister had understood the procedure explained by the Honduran soldier. Honduras invited coordination of future deliveries through established diplomatic channels. These statements express the Honduran government's position on the episode, not a joint declaration by both countries. [1] [2]
Adaptation in the shared basin
The Goascorán binational project covers 36 sub-basins and 29 municipalities: 13 Salvadoran and 16 Honduran. Honduras's Natural Resources Secretariat reports selection of 3,300 households in Honduras and an assessment identifying 11 operational hydrological, meteorological and rainfall monitoring stations. The project seeks to strengthen community climate adaptation and integrates local plans and weather information. [2]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (El Salvador and Honduras) totalled 1,804.8 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 1,076.2 million; those in the opposite direction, 728.7 million. The difference between the two flows was 347.5 million, in favour of El Salvador. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [3]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from El Salvador to the partner represented 16.74% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [3]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 1,903.5 million USD in 2021 and 1,804.8 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -5.2 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 2,145.1 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [4]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from El Salvador to Honduras, at 51.3 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, dairy products, eggs and honey stands out in shipments from Honduras to El Salvador, at 28.6 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [5]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — SLV-HND
tnh.gob.hn · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bilateral relations — SLV-HND
serna.gob.hn · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.