1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 21,040 km2 land area: 20,720 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Climate
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)
Coastline
307 km
Environment
the Land of Volcanoes; subject to frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
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
Irrigated land
1,200 km2 (1989)
Land boundaries
total 545 km, Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Land use
arable land: 27% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 6% other: 30%
Location
Central 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
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm; overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm
Natural resources
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum
Note
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
People and Society
Birth rate
33.12 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
6.53 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
mestizo 94%, Indian 5%, white 1%
Infant mortality rate
42.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
1.7 million (1982 est.) 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.)
Languages
Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.5 years male: 63.93 years female: 69.2 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 73% male: 76% female: 70%
Nationality
noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Net migration rate
-6.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
5,636,524 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
2.04% (1993 est.)
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
Total fertility rate
3.87 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
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
Capital
San Salvador
Chief of State and Head of Government
President (Felix) Alfredo CRISTIANI Buchard (since 1 June 1989); Vice President (Jose) Francisco MERINO Lopez (since 1 June 1989)
Constitution
20 December 1983
Digraph
ES
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Angel SALAVERRIA chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-9671 through 3482 consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
Executive branch
president, vice president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
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
FMLN labor front organizations
National Union of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), leftist umbrella front group, leads FMLN front network; National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS), best organized of front groups and controlled by FMLN's National Resistance (RN); Social Security Institute Workers Union (STISSS), one of the most militant fronts, is controlled by FMLN's Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN) and RN; Association of Telecommunications Workers (ASTTEL); Unitary Federation of Salvadoran Unions (FUSS), leftist; Treasury Ministry Employees (AGEMHA)
FMLN nonlabor front organizations
Committee of Mothers and Families of Political Prisoners, Disappeared Persons, and Assassinated of El Salvador (COMADRES); Nongovernmental Human Rights Commission (CDHES); Committee of Dismissed and Unemployed of El Salvador (CODYDES); General Association of Salvadoran University Students (AGEUS); National Association of Salvadoran Educators (ANDES-21 DE JUNIO); Salvadoran Revolutionary Student Front (FERS), associated with the Popular Forces of Liberation (FPL); Association of National University Educators (ADUES); Salvadoran University Students Front (FEUS); Christian Committee for the Displaced of El Salvador (CRIPDES), an FPL front; The Association for Communal Development in El Salvador (PADECOES), controlled by the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP); Confederation of Cooperative Associations of El Salvador (COACES) labor organizations: Federation of Construction and Transport Workers Unions (FESINCONSTRANS), independent; Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association; Democratic Workers Central (CTD), moderate; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; National Union of Workers and Peasants (UNOC), moderate labor coalition of democratic labor organizations; United Workers Front (FUT) business organizations: National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP), conservative; Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Legal system
based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative Assembly
last held 10 March 1991 (next to be held March 1994); results - ARENA 44.3%, PDC 27.96%, CD 12.16%, PCN 8.99%, MAC 3.23%, UDN 2.68%; seats - (84 total) ARENA 39, PDC 26, PCN 9, CD 8, UDN 1, MAC 1
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
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
Names
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Political parties and leaders
National Republican Alliance (Arena), Armando CALDERON Sol, president; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Fidel CHAVEZ Mena, secretary general; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president; Democratic Convergence (CD) is a coalition of three parties - the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Carlos Diaz BARRERA, secretary general; Democratic Nationalist Union (UDN), Mario AGUINADA Carranza, secretary general; and the Popular Social Christian Movement (MPSC), Dr. Ruben Ignacio ZAMORA Rivas; Authentic Christian Movement (MAC), Guillermo Antonia GUEVARA Lacayo, president; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLM), Jorge Shafik HANDAL, general coordinator, has five factions - Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren; Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN), Ferman CIENFUEGOS; People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), Joaquin VILLA LOBOS Huezo; Salvadoran Communist Party/Armed Forces of Liberation (PCES/FAL), Jorge Shafik HANDAL; and Central American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC)/Popular Liberation Revolutionary Aermed Forces (FARLP), Francisco JOVEL
President
last held 19 March 1989 (next to be held March 1994); results - Alfredo CRISTIANI (ARENA) 53.8%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 36.6%, other 9.6%
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Peter F. ROMERO embassy: Final Boulevard, Station Antigua Cuscatlan, San Salvador mailing address: APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 78-4444
Economy
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
Budget
revenues $846 million; expenditures $890 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Currency
1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
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
Electricity
713,800 kW capacity; 2,190 million kWh produced, 390 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.7600 (January 1993), 9.1700 (1992), 8.0300 (1991), fixed rate of 5.000 (1986-1989)
Exports
$693 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: coffee 45%, sugar, shrimp, cotton partners: US 33%, Guatemala, Germany, Costa Rica
External debt
$2.6 billion (December 1992)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine
Imports
$1.47 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods partners: US 43%, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany
Industrial production
growth rate 4.7% (1991); accounts for 22% of GDP
Industries
food processing, beverages, petroleum, nonmetallic products, tobacco, chemicals, textiles, furniture
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
17% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $5.9 billion (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$1,060 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
4.6% (1992 est.)
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 18% of GDP and 15% of employment. Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage total more than $2 billion since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large military seriously constrain the government's efforts to provide essential social services. Nevertheless, growth in national output during the period 1990-92 exceeded growth in population for the first time since 1987.
Unemployment rate
7.5% (1991)
Communications
Airports
total: 105 usable: 74 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5
Highways
10,000 km total; 1,500 km paved, 4,100 km gravel, 4,400 km improved and unimproved earth
Inland waterways
Rio Lempa partially navigable
Ports
Acajutla, Cutuco
Railroads
602 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track; 542 km in use
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
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $104 million, 3%-4% of GDP (1993 est.)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,305,853; fit for military service 836,192; reach military age (18) annually 71,101 (1993 est.)