2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 1,265,080/female 1,212,216) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,900,372/female 2,092,251) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 156,292/female 196,167) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

75 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

71 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m

56 (2006)

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

26.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$384.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$356.6 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 42 N, 89 12 W

name

San Salvador

time difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Current account balance

$-1.059 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY

embassy

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

mailing address

Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

telephone

[503] 2278-4444

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez

telephone

[1] (202) 265-9671

Disputes - international

in 1992, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite Organization of American States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Distribution of family income - Gini index

52.5 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient

$125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Economy - overview

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strenthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 15% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.

Electricity - consumption

4.229 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

109 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

456 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

4.174 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

44%

hydro

30.9%

nuclear

0%

other

25.1% (2001)

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Ethnic groups

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Exchange rates

8.75 (2006), the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president

chief of state

President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

elections

president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held March 2009)

head of government

President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)

Exports

$3.686 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-3834

[503] 2278-5522

consulate(s)

Boston

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC

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 - composition by sector

agriculture

9.7%

industry

29.6%

services

60.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.14 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$33.2 billion (2006 est.)

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

Heliports

1 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

29,000 (2003 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 8 February, 2007

Imports

$7.326 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005)

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2006 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

21.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

27.27 deaths/1,000 live births

total

24.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.3% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.sv

Internet hosts

4,682 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2000)

Internet users

637,100 (2005) Transportation El Salvador

Investment (gross fixed)

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

450 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

2.856 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

17.1%

industry

17.1%

services

65.8% (2003 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

total

545 km

Land use

arable land

31.37%

other

56.75% (2005)

permanent crops

11.88%

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

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 - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2

elections

last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.28 years (2006 est.)

male

67.88 years

total population

71.49 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

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

1,542,323 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,391,278

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

1,310,466 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

960,315

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

69,526 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

70,286

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

22.9 years (2006 est.)

male

20.7 years

total

21.8 years

Military branches

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$161.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues El Salvador

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Net migration rate

-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER, secretary general]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ, coordinator general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo, coordinator general]

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

6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

36.1% (2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.72% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco Military El Salvador

Public debt

44.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

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 (2005)

total

283 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.951 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

1,986 km

total

10,029 km

unpaved

8,043 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

nationwide microwave radio relay system

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones - main lines in use

971,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.412 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Televisions

600,000 (1990)

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Total fertility rate

3.12 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.)

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)