Trade partner
U.S. Imports
$174.6M
August 2026
U.S. Exports
$542.3M
August 2026
Trade surplus
$367.7M
August 2026 · U.S. exports more than it imports
In August 2026 the United States imported $174.6M from El Salvador and exported $542.3M to it, across 593 imported product categories.
Over the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $2.3B from El Salvador and exported $5.0B to it. In August 2026, the U.S. ran a monthly goods trade surplus of $367.7M with El Salvador, exporting 3.1× as much as it imported. Compared with August 2025, U.S. goods imports from El Salvador in August 2026 (preliminary) were 15% higher, and exports to El Salvador were 71% higher. U.S. goods imports from El Salvador of $174.6M in August 2026 ran 12% below the year-to-date monthly average of $199.1M.
El Salvador is a Central American nation and a key trading partner of the United States under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Major exports to the US include apparel, coffee, sugar, and textiles, while imports from the US include refined petroleum, machinery, and food products. San Salvador serves as the commercial hub, and the country uses the US dollar as its official currency, simplifying trade transactions.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Yes, El Salvador is a signatory to CAFTA-DR (Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement), which provides preferential tariff rates on most goods traded between El Salvador and the United States.
El Salvador's top exports to the US include knit apparel, woven apparel, coffee, sugar, and electrical machinery components.
Yes, El Salvador officially uses the US dollar, which eliminates currency exchange risk and simplifies invoicing and payment for US-based importers and exporters.
The top U.S. imports from El Salvador are Cotton Knit Sweaters, Manmade Fiber Knit Sweaters and US-Origin Articles Exported & Returned Without Advancement, by value in the latest month.
| Rank | Product | Import value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $19.0M | |
| 2 | $16.4M | |
| 3 | US-Origin Articles Exported & Returned Without AdvancementChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $12.4M |
| 4 | $12.4M | |
| 5 | $10.7M | |
| 6 | $6.8M | |
| 7 | $6.6M | |
| 8 | $6.5M | |
| 9 | $5.3M | |
| 10 | $3.8M |
| Rank | Product | Export value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $166.6M | |
| 2 | $97.1M | |
| 3 | $20.0M | |
| 4 | Low-Value Export Shipments & Canadian Estimated Late ReceiptsChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $19.4M |
| 5 | Civilian Aircraft, Engines, Equipment, and PartsChapter 88 · Aircraft, Spacecraft & Parts | $17.6M |
| 6 | $15.4M | |
| 7 | $12.6M | |
| 8 | $7.8M | |
| 9 | $7.7M | |
| 10 | $5.8M |
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Annual data from BEA | 2025
Services Exports
$2.0B
Services Imports
$2.1B