El Salvador

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

El Salvador as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSan Salvador
LocationMiddle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala
1994

Every edition of El Salvador

Populationas each edition published it
5.75 million July 1994 est. · 5.31m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.04% 1994 est. · 2.04% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 21.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 66.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.78 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
40.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 49 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,500 1993 est. · $1,060 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 1993 est. · 4.6% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala | and Honduras

22 fields
Land boundaries
545km
total · Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Irrigated land
1,200sq km
(1989)

Location

Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

21,040 sq km

land area

20,720 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

territorial sea

200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm

International disputes

  • land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision;
  • ICJ referred the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Climate

  • tropical;
  • rainy season (May to October);
  • dry season (November to April)

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

arable land

27%

permanent crops

8%

meadows and pastures

29%

forest and woodland

6%

other

30%

current issues

  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • water pollution;
  • contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

natural hazards

known as the Land of Volcanoes, subject to frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

People

23 fields
Population
5,752,511
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.04% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
32.81Death
6.36Net migration
-6.08

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 94%Indian 5%white 1%
Labor force
1.7million
(1982 est.)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

40.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

66.99 years

male

64.41 years

female

69.71 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.78 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Salvadoran(s)

adjective

Salvadoran

Religions

Roman Catholic 75%

note

  • Roman Catholic about 75%;
  • 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 Indians)

total population

73%

male

76%

female

70%

by occupation

agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%

note

shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled labor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)

Government

Republic

33 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

46.4%
ARENA 46.4%FMLN 25.0%PDC 21.4%PCN 4.8%other 2.4%

Legislature, 84 seatsone dot, one seat

ARENA 39FMLN 21PDC 18PCN 4other 2

conventional long form

Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form

El Salvador

local long form

Republica de El Salvador

local short form

El Salvador

Type

republic

Capital

San Salvador

Administrative divisions

  • 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  • Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution

20 December 1983

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state and head of government

  • President Armando CALDERON SOL (since 1 June 1994);
  • Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999);
  • results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%;
  • because no candidate received a majority, run off election was held 24 April 1994;
  • results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%

cabinet

Council of Ministers

Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

  • elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1997);
  • results - ARENA 46.4%, FMLN 25.0%, PDC 21.4%, PCN 4.8%, other 2.4%;
  • seats - (84 total) ARENA 39, FMLN 21, PDC 18, PCN 4, other 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders

  • National Republican Alliance (ARENA);
  • Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) has five factions - Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN), Popular Expression of Renewal (ERP), Salvadoran Communist Party (PCES), and Central American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC);
  • Christian Democratic Party (PDC);
  • National Conciliation Party (PCN);
  • Democratic Convergence (CD), a coalition of three parties - the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Democratic Nationalist Union (UDN), and the Popular Social Christian Movement (MPSC);
  • Authentic Christian Movement (MAC)

note

new party leaders not yet designated at time of publication

labor organizations

  • Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association;
  • General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate;
  • United Workers Front (FUT)

business organizations

Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative

Member of

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

chief of mission

Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL

chancery

2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 265-9671 or 9672

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission

Ambassador Alan H. FLANIGAN

embassy

Final Boulevard, Station Antigua Cuscatlan, San Salvador

mailing address

Unit 3116, San Salvador; APO AA 34023

telephone

[503] 78-4444

FAX

[503] 78-6011

Flag

  • 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

The agricultural sector accounts for 24% of GDP, employs about 40% of | the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
5%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7.6% (1993)

Overview

The agricultural sector accounts for 24% of GDP, employs about 40% of the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the major commercial crop, accounting for 45% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 19% of GDP and 15% of employment.

In 1992-93 the government made substantial progress toward privatization and deregulation of the economy. Growth in national output in 1990-93 exceeded growth in population for the first time since 1987, and inflation in 1993 of 12% was down from 17% in 1992

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $14.2 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$846 million

expenditures

$890 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exports

$730 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

coffee, sugarcane, shrimp

partners

US, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Germany

Imports

$1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods

partners

US, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany

External debt

$2.6 billion (December 1992)

capacity

713,800 kW

production

2.19 billion kWh

consumption per capita

390 kWh (1992)

Industries

food processing, beverages, petroleum, nonmetallic products, tobacco, chemicals, textiles, furniture

Agriculture

  • accounts for 24% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including fishing and forestry);
  • coffee most important commercial crop;
  • other products - sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products, shrimp;
  • not self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $2.95 billion (plus $250 million for 1992-96);
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $525 million

Currency

1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.720 (January 1994), 8.670 (1993), 8.4500 (1992), 8.080 (1991), 8.0300 (1990), fixed rate of 5.000 (1986-1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

13 fields

Railroads

602 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity

total

10,000 km

paved

1,500 km

unpaved

gravel 4,100 km; improved, unimproved earth 4,400 km

Inland waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports

Acajutla, Cutuco

total

107

usable

76

with permanent-surface runways

5

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

1

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

6

Telecommunications

  • nationwide trunk microwave radio relay system;
  • connection into Central American Microwave System;
  • 116,000 telephones (21 telephones per 1,000 persons);
  • broadcast stations - 77 AM, no FM, 5 TV, 2 shortwave;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 1,351,641;
  • fit for military service 866,010;
  • reach military age (18) annually 74,181 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 1.1% of GDP (1994 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “El Salvador.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/el-salvador/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →