El Salvador

flag of El Salvador map of El Salvador

On November 29, 2006 the MCC signed a $461 million compact with El Salvador that seeks to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country’s northern region, where more than 44.8 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

MCA Status

El Salvador's five-year compact entered-into-force on September 20, 2007.  The compact will improve the lives of Salvadorans through strategic investments in education, public services, agricultural production, rural business development, and transportation infrastructure.  The largest of the compact’s components, the transportation project, intends to physically unify El Salvador’s Northern Zone with the rest of the country, and to enable new economic opportunities for rural households, lower transportation costs, and decrease travel times to markets. El Salvador is the first lower middle income country (LMIC) to receive funding.

Country Compact

El Salvador MCC compact
El Salvador's compact Monitoring and Evaluation
FOMILENIO (MCA-El Salvador) website

Country Eligibility

In the FY2011 selection process, El Salvador scored above the median on five of six Ruling Justly indicators, two of five Investing in People indicators, and three of six Economic Freedom indicators. El Salvador is a lower middle income country (LMIC).

Review El Salvador's performance on the FY2011 selection indicators

Review El Salvador's performance on the FY2010 selection indicators

Review El Salvador's performance on the FY2009 selection indicators

Review El Salvador’s performance on the FY2008 selection indicators

Review El Salvador’s performance on the FY2007 selection indicators

Review El Salvador's performance on the FY2006 selection indicators

Learn more about the MCC’s country selection process 

Country Facts

Data are for 2009 (or most recent year available)

 Per capita income (GNI, current US$) $3,370
 Poverty rate ($2 a day) 13.2%
 GDP growth (annual) -3.5%
 Population, total 6,163,050
 Rural population (% of total) 39%
 Life expectancy 71 yrs
 Literacy rate 84%

Source: World Development Indicators 2010

El Salvador Country Brief from the World Bank 

Other US Policies

Review USAID El Salvador's Mission page

Review the USAID El Salvador country page

Other Donors

The top three donors to El Salvador in 2009 were:

Donor
Gross ODA,
2008-2009 average
(USD millions)
 Spain
106
 United States
74
 Japan
32
Source: OECD/DAC Database
*ODA is official development assistance

Other Resources

MCC El Salvador web page

Department of State country profile providing background on El Salvador's history and U.S.-El Salvador relations

World Bank projects in El Salvador