El Salvador

Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

El Salvador as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 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
Position13 50 N, 88 55 W
Area21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km
LocationMiddle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
2001

Every edition of El Salvador

Populationas each edition published it
6.24 million July 2001 est. · 5.31m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.85% 2001 est. · 2.04% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 21.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
70.03 years 2001 est. · 66.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.34 children per woman 2001 est. · 4.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
28.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 49 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,000 2000 est. · $1,060 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.5% 2000 est. · 4.6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost the lives of some 75,000 people, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.

Geography

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

18 fields
Coastline
307km
territorial sea: 200 NM
Irrigated land
1,200sq km
(1993 est.)

Location

Middle 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

Land boundaries

total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

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: 27% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 29% forests and woodland: 5% other: 31% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

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

People

18 fields
Population
6,237,662
(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 1.85% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth
28.67Death
6.18Net migration
-3.95

Ethnic groups

mestizo 90%Amerindian 1%white 9%

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.68% (male 1,198,623; female 1,151,584) 15-64 years: 57.27% (male 1,693,865; female 1,878,254) 65 years and over: 5.05% (male 142,345; female 172,991) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.03 years male: 66.43 years female: 73.81 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.34 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Religions

Roman Catholic 86% 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: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Republic; President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52%
Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%Ruben ZAMORA (CDU) 7.5%other (no individual above ) 11.5% 3%

Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa, 84 seatsone dot, one seat

ARENA 28FMLN 31PCN 14PDC 5CD 3PAN 1independent 2

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

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

23 December 1983

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999);
  • Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999);
  • Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms;
  • election last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president;
  • percent of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CDU) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5%

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 2000 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - ARENA 36.1%, FMLN 35.14%, PCN 8.76%, PDC 7.08%, CD 5.32%, PAN 3.75%, USC 1.47%, PLD 1.29%;
  • seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 31, PCN 14, PDC 5, CD 3, PAN 1, independent 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders

  • Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rene AGUILUZ];
  • Democratic Convergence or CD (includes PSD, MNR, MPSC) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];
  • Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ];
  • Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO];
  • Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president];
  • National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general];
  • National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president];
  • National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Walter ARAUJO];
  • Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]

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

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS embassy: Boulevard Santa Elena Final, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444

FAX

[503] 278-6011

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

32 fields
Real growth rate
2.5%
(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 5% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
10%
(2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

63%
US
52%
11%
Guatemala
9%
7%
Honduras
Mexico
6%
4%
Costa Rica
3%
Exports $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)Imports $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)(1999)

Electricity

Electricity production
3.641 billion (1999)Electricity consumption
3.638 billion (1999)Electricity exports
208 million (1999)Electricity imports
460 million (1999)

Economy - overview

El Salvador is a struggling Central American economy which has been suffering from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the aftermaths of Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and the devastating earthquakes of early 2001, and weak world coffee prices. On the bright side, in recent years inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially.

The trade deficit has been offset by remittances (an estimated $1.6 billion in 2000) from Salvadorans living abroad and by external aid. As of 1 January 2001, the US dollar was made legal tender alongside the colon.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $24 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 12% industry: 28% services: 60% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 38.3% (1995)

Labor force

2.35 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 45.65% hydro: 41.01% nuclear: 0% other: 13.34% (1999)

Agriculture - products

  • coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum;
  • shrimp;
  • beef, dairy products

Exports

$2.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Imports

$4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Debt - external

$4.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.)

Currency

Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD)

Exchange rates

Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
40,163
(1997)
Fixed lines
380,000
(1998) · country code .sv

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
  • connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations

AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2.75 million (1997)

Televisions

600,000 (1990)

Internet users

40,000 (2000)

Transportation

9 fields

Railways

total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of route which is operational is reduced to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintainance (2001)

Highways

total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1997)

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable

Ports and harbors

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Airports

83 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 79 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 62 (2000 est.)

Heliports

1 (2000 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,464,898 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 929,263 (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Illicit drugs

  • transshipment point for cocaine;
  • marijuana produced for local consumption;
  • domestic drug abuse on the rise

Central Intelligence Agency. “El Salvador.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/el-salvador/2001.

How to cite ← 2000 edition 2002 edition →