El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
Location
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total
21,040 sq km
land
20,720 sq km
water
320 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries
total
545 km
border countries
Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline
307 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
24 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use
arable land
31.37%
permanent crops
11.88%
other
56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land
450 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
Population
6,948,073 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
36.1% (male 1,281,889/female 1,228,478)
15-64 years
58.7% (male 1,942,674/female 2,134,154)
65 years and over
5.2% (male 158,276/female 202,602) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
22 years
male
20.9 years
female
23.2 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.699% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.043 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.781 male(s)/female
total population
0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male
25.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female
19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
71.78 years
male
68.18 years
female
75.57 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
2,200 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Salvadoran(s)
adjective
Salvadoran
Ethnic groups
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions
Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Languages
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy
definition
age 10 and over can read and write
total population
80.2%
male
82.8%
female
77.7% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form
El Salvador
local long form
Republica de El Salvador
local short form
El Salvador
Government type
republic
Capital
name
San Salvador
geographic coordinates
13 42 N, 89 12 W
time difference
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution
20 December 1983
Legal system
based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)
cabinet
Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results
Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]
Political pressure groups and leaders
labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI
Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC
consulate(s)
Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER
embassy
Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address
Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone
[503] 2278-4444
FAX
[503] 2278-5522
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Economy - overview
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 16% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$33.68 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$15.16 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$4,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
9.7%
industry
29.6%
services
60.7% (2006 est.)
Labor force
2.856 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
17.1%
industry
17.1%
services
65.8% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
35.2% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
0.67%
highest 10%
38.76% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
52.5 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.9% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$2.82 billion
expenditures
$2.94 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.)
US 49.8%, Guatemala 14.4%, Honduras 8.9%, Nicaragua 5.1% (2006)
Imports
$7.326 billion (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners
US 30.6%, Guatemala 8.8%, Mexico 8.5%, Germany 6%, China 4.5%, Brazil 4.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.951 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$127.5 million of which, $55 million from US (2005)
Currency (code)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Exchange rates
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
971,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
2.412 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
NA
domestic
nationwide microwave radio relay system
international
country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations
AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios
2.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
5 (1997)
Televisions
600,000 (1990)
Internet country code
.sv
Internet hosts
4,682 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
4 (2000)
Internet users
637,100 (2005)
Airports
75 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
4
over 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
71
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
14
under 914 m
56 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Railways
total
562 km
narrow gauge
562 km 0.914-m gauge
note
railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)
Roadways
total
10,886 km
paved
2,827 km
unpaved
8,059 km (2000)
Waterways
Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)
Ports and terminals
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco
Military branches
Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,391,278
females age 18-49
1,542,323 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
960,315
females age 18-49
1,310,466 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
70,286
females age 18-49
69,526 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
5% (2006)
Disputes - international
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine
