2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.1% (male 1,224,024; female 1,173,667) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 1,777,522; female 1,966,064) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 147,482; female 181,620) (2003 est.)

Area

land

20,720 sq km

total

21,040 sq km

water

320 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Background

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

Birth rate

27.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

San Salvador

Climate

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Coastline

307 km

Constitution

23 December 1983

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

Death rate

6.01 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

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

Ethnic groups

mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

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

Geographic coordinates

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geography - note

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

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

24,000 (2001 est.)

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Infant mortality rate

female

23.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

29.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

26.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

360 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

total

545 km

Land use

arable land

27.27%

other

60.62% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

12.11%

Languages

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.4 years (2003 est.)

male

67.02 years

total population

70.62 years

Literacy

definition

age 10 and over can read and write

female

77.7% (2003 est.) Government El Salvador

male

82.8%

total population

80.2%

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

Median age

female

22.2 years (2002)

male

20 years

total

21.1 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Natural hazards

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Net migration rate

-3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

6,470,379 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.81% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 83%

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Total fertility rate

3.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

82 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

78 914 to 1,523 m: 17

under 914 m

61 (2002)

Budget

expenditures

$2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$2.1 billion

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$5.6 billion (2001 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS

embassy

Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address

Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

telephone

[503] 278-4444

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC

Disputes - international

in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but they remain largely undemarcated; in 2002, El Salvador filed an application to the ICJ to revise the decision on a section of bolsones; the ICJ also advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca

Distribution of family income - Gini index

52.2 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

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

Economy - overview

In recent years, this Central American economy 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, inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living abroad and by external aid. The US dollar is now the legal tender. Because competitor countries have fluctuating exchange rates, El Salvador must face the challenge of raising productivity and lowering costs.

Electricity - consumption

3.777 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

44 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

353 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

3.729 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

44%

hydro

30.9%

nuclear

0%

other

25.1% (2001)

Exchange rates

8.75 the US dollar is the legal tender

Exports

$3 billion (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 63.3%, Guatemala 12%, Honduras 6.8%, Nicaragua 4.5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-3834

[503] 278-6011

chancery

2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 265-9671

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications El Salvador

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 El Salvador

GDP

purchasing power parity - $29.41 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

30%

services

60% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.1% (2002 est.)

Heliports

1 (2002) Military El Salvador

Highways

paved

1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)

total

10,029 km

unpaved

8,043 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

39.3% (2001)

lowest 10%

1.4%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$4.9 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 39%, Guatemala 10.1%, Mexico 7.2%, France 4% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.8% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.sv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2000)

Internet users

40,000 (2000) Transportation El Salvador

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

2.35 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 27, PCN 16, PDC 5, CD 5

elections

last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006)

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$112 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.7% (FY99) Transnational Issues El Salvador

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,536,230 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

973,884 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

69,534 (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general] (includes Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO, leader); 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

Population below poverty line

48% (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

2.75 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

283 km 0.914-m gauge

note

length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2002)

total

283 km

Telephone system

domestic

nationwide microwave radio relay system

general assessment

NA

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

380,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

40,163 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Televisions

600,000 (1990)

Unemployment rate

10% - but the economy has much underemployment. (2001 est.)

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable