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El Salvador

US Revised Tariffs (%)

10

Ease of doing business

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Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
US Tariff %
Revised Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
1
10
10
2.2
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
4.56
2.31
2.25

US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Implications

As of Saturday, April 19, 2025, here's the latest update on tariffs concerning El Salvador: United States Tariffs on Goods from El Salvador: Baseline Tariff: El Salvador is among the approximately 100 countries subject to the general 10% baseline tariff imposed by the United States on most imports, which took effect on April 5, 2025.   "Reciprocal Tariffs": While the U.S. announced "discounted reciprocal tariffs" based on the tariffs other countries charge the U.S., El Salvador's tariff rate charged to the U.S. was listed at 10%. Therefore, the "discounted reciprocal tariff" for El Salvador is also 10%.   Effective Tariff Rate: According to recent analysis, the effective tariff rate (trade-weighted) for El Salvador is estimated at 10.5%. This slight increase from the announced 10% likely reflects the composition of goods traded and the application of tariffs to specific categories. CAFTA-DR: The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which includes El Salvador, has significantly reduced tariffs between the countries. As of 2015, all U.S. industrial and commercial goods enter El Salvador duty-free.   Textiles and Apparel: Nearly all textile and apparel goods meeting the agreement's rules of origin enter El Salvador duty-free and quota-free. Agriculture: More than half of U.S. agricultural exports enter El Salvador duty-free, with remaining tariffs being phased out (dairy products by 2025).   El Salvador's Tariffs on Goods from the United States: As a member of the Central American Common Market (CACM), El Salvador applies a harmonized external tariff on most items, with a maximum of 15%, although there are exceptions.   However, under CAFTA-DR, about 80% of U.S. industrial and consumer goods now enter El Salvador duty-free. The remaining tariffs were to be phased out by 2015. El Salvador will eliminate its remaining tariffs on nearly all agricultural products by 2020 (with exceptions for rice and chicken leg quarters in 2023, and dairy products by 2025). Key Points: CAFTA-DR Dominance: The free trade agreement between the U.S. and Central American countries, including El Salvador, has largely shaped the current tariff landscape, resulting in mostly duty-free trade for many goods.   Trump's Tariffs' Limited Direct Impact: While the U.S. has implemented a general baseline tariff of 10% and discussed reciprocal tariffs, the existing CAFTA-DR provisions mean that a significant portion of trade between the U.S. and El Salvador remains duty-free. The effective increase due to the new tariffs appears relatively small. Potential Indirect Benefits: Some analysts suggest that the higher tariffs the U.S. has imposed on other countries, like Nicaragua, could indirectly benefit El Salvador by making its exports (e.g., textiles and apparel) more competitive in the U.S. market and potentially attracting investment. In summary, while El Salvador is subject to the new 10% baseline tariff imposed by the U.S., the long-standing CAFTA-DR agreement ensures that a large volume of goods continues to trade duty-free between the two nations. The overall impact of the recent U.S. tariff changes on El Salvador appears to be less severe compared to countries facing higher reciprocal tariffs.

US Negotiation Strategy

Based on recent trade data, the top imports to the US from El Salvador include: Articles of apparel, knit or crocheted ($1.28 Billion in 2024): This category includes t-shirts, sweaters, and other knitwear. US States with Similar Manufacturing: California: Has a significant apparel manufacturing sector, although it often focuses on higher-end fashion and technical garments. Examples include American Apparel (though it has shifted production models), and numerous smaller design and manufacturing houses in Los Angeles.   North Carolina: Historically a major textile and apparel manufacturing state, it still has a presence in knit and woven goods. Examples include companies like Hanesbrands (some of their production is also in El Salvador) and Unifi (producer of synthetic yarns).   South Carolina: Similar to North Carolina, with a history in textiles and some remaining apparel production. Commodities not specified according to kind ($199.05 Million in 2024): This is a broad category and difficult to pinpoint specific US manufacturing. Sugars and sugar confectionery ($175.37 Million in 2024): US States with Similar Manufacturing: Florida: Produces sugarcane and has sugar processing facilities. Companies include the Florida Crystals Corporation.   Louisiana: Also a major sugarcane-producing state with sugar mills and refineries. Hawaii: Historically a large sugar producer, though production has decreased. Michigan and Minnesota: Beet sugar is also produced in these and other northern states by companies like American Crystal Sugar Company. Electrical, electronic equipment ($118.26 Million in 2024): This includes items like electrical capacitors. US States with Similar Manufacturing: California: A major hub for electronics manufacturing, including various components. Companies range from large corporations like Intel and Apple (though they often outsource manufacturing) to specialized component manufacturers.   Texas: Growing in electronics manufacturing with companies like Texas Instruments and Dell. Massachusetts: Has a strong history in electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing.   Articles of apparel, not knit or crocheted ($95.27 Million in 2024): This includes woven garments. US States with Similar Manufacturing: Similar to knit apparel, with a historical presence in North Carolina and South Carolina. Some higher-end woven garment production exists in New York and California. Important Considerations: Scale and Specialization: While the US has manufacturing capabilities in these sectors, the scale and specific types of goods produced might differ from those imported from El Salvador. El Salvador often focuses on labor-intensive assembly of apparel. Global Supply Chains: Many US companies operate with global supply chains, and even if they have manufacturing in the US, they might also have facilities or rely on imports from countries like El Salvador for certain products or components. Company Examples: The examples provided are illustrative and represent states with a significant presence in the respective manufacturing sectors. The specific companies might not produce the exact same items as those imported from El Salvador. For instance, while California has apparel manufacturing, it might focus on higher-value fashion items rather than basic knitwear. It's worth noting that Hanesbrands and Fruit of the Loom, while US-based brands, have significant production facilities in El Salvador, highlighting the interconnectedness of the US and Salvadoran manufacturing sectors.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

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Sources : Forbes | USDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia | International Trade Administration

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theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

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