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  El Salvador  
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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of El Salvador



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    El Salvador Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    El Salvador Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
307 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88%
other: 56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
25.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)
per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
   People    El Salvador Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,066,403 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 1,291,147/female 1,237,453)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,987,671/female 2,179,620)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 162,100/female 208,412) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 22.2 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 23.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.679% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
25.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 72.06 years
male: 68.45 years
female: 75.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
Definition Field Listing
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.1% of GDP (2006)
   Government    El Salvador Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
20 December 1983
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge (Virginia), Woodstock (Georgia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
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; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450
telephone: [503] 2501-2999
FAX: [503] 2501-2150
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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    El Salvador Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent years. Robust growth in non-traditional exports have offset declines in the maquila exports, while remittances and external aid offset the trade deficit from high oil prices and strong import demand for consumer and intermediate goods. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador 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 through tax incentives. 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. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$41.63 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$20.37 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$6,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 30.8%
services: 58.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.913 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 19%
industry: 23%
services: 58% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.2% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 38.8% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
52.4 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $3.659 billion
expenditures: $3.709 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
37.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.6% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$764.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$9.729 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.338 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.426 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
8.64 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
11.08 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
44,330 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,963 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
45,210 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$1.119 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.035 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 51%, Guatemala 13.6%, Honduras 11.2%, Nicaragua 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$8.108 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 35.7%, Mexico 9.8%, Guatemala 8.5%, China 4.7% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$9.574 billion (December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5.918 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$384 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.623 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
   Communications    El Salvador Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.08 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.137 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2007 mobile-cellular density stood at nearly 90 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
5 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.sv
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11,434 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
700,000 (2006)
   Transportation    El Salvador Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
65 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 61
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 48 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge
note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 10,886 km
paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco
   Military    El Salvador Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; service obligation - 8 months, but 11 months for officers and NCOs (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,634,816
females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,168,406
females age 16-49: 1,519,375 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 73,915
female: 71,252 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5% of GDP (2006)
   Transnational Issues    El Salvador Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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