1996 Edition

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

Location

13 50 N, 88 55 W -- Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

land area

20,720 sq km

total area

21,040 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

307 km

Environment

current issues

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

international agreements

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

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geographic note

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

International disputes

land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred 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 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

total

545 km

Land use

arable land

27%

forest and woodland

6%

meadows and pastures

29%

other

30%

permanent crops

8%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea

200 nm

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

highest point

Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 1,137,804; female 1,097,774) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,627,519; female 1,716,261) 65 years and over: 5% (male 115,973; female 133,656) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

28.3 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 94%, Indian 5%, white 1%

Infant mortality rate

31.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.5 years (1996 est.)

male

65.44 years

total population

68.88 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

69.8%

male

73.5%

total population

71.5%

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Net migration rate

-4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

5,828,987 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.81% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 75%

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

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.2 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Constitution

20 December 1983

Data code

ES

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL

consulate(s) general

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

telephone

[1] (202) 265-9671, 9672

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers

chief of state and head of government

President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994) and Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) were elected for five-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 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, a run-off election was held 24 April 1994; results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%

FAX

[503] 278-6011

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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

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, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

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 (Asamblea Legislativa)

elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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)

Other political or pressure groups

business organizations

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

labor organizations

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

Political parties and leaders

National Republican Alliance (ARENA), Juan Jose DOMENECH, president; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren (aka Leonel GONZALEZ), general coordinator; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ronal UMANA, secretary general; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general; Democratic Convergence (CD), Juan Jose MARTEL, secretary general; Unity Movement, Jorge MARTINEZ Menendez, president

note

newly formed parties not yet officially recognized by the

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Supreme Electoral Tribunal

Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Kirio Waldo SALGADO, founder; Social Democratic Party (breakaway from FMLN), Joaquin VILLALOBOS, founder; Social Christian Renovation Movement (MRSC) (breakaway from PDC), Abraham RODRIGUEZ, founder

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Alan H. FLANIGAN

embassy

Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador

mailing address

Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

telephone

[503] 278-4444

Agriculture

coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseed; beef, dairy products; shrimp

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$846 million

Currency

1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

note

US has committed $250 million in aid to El Salvador for 1992-96

recipient

ODA, $777 million (1993)

Economic overview

El Salvador possesses a fast-growing entrepreneurial economy in which 90% of economic activity is in private hands, with growth averaging 5% since 1990. Yet, because the 1980s were a decade of civil war and stagnation, per capita GDP has not regained the level of the late 1970s. The rebound in the 1990s stems from the government program, in conjunction with the IMF, of privatization, deregulation, and fiscal stabilization. The economy now is oriented more toward manufacturing and services compared with agriculture. The sizable trade deficits are in the main covered by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans abroad.

Electricity

capacity

750,000 kW

consumption per capita

408 kWh (1993)

production

2.4 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.755 (December 1995), 8.755 (1995), 8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993), 9.170 (1992), 8.080 (1991)

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

coffee, sugarcane, shrimp

partners

US, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Germany

External debt

$2.6 billion (December 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,950 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6.3% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods

partners

US, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

7.6% (1993)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.4% (1995 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%

Unemployment rate

6.7% (1993)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,415,691

males fit for military service

905,938

males reach military age (18) annually

78,660 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 77, FM 0, shortwave 2

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

nationwide microwave radio relay system

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones

116,000 (1984 est.)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1986 est.)

Televisions

500,700 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

73

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

2

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

48

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

21 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

1,740 km (including 107 km of expressways)

total

12,251 km

unpaved

10,511 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

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

Railways

narrow gauge

602 km 0.914-m gauge

total

602 km (single track; note - some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity)

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable