2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

20,721 sq km

total

21,041 sq km

water

320 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate

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

Coastline

307 km

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

186 cu m/yr (2000)

total

1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)

Geographic coordinates

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

450 sq km (2003)

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%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

El Salvador experiences significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m, 6,211 ft), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (elev. 2,130 m, 6,988 ft), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Total renewable water resources

25.2 cu km (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 35.4% (male 1,299,608/female 1,245,617) 15-64 years: 59.3% (male 2,033,423/female 2,225,810) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 166,224/female 214,536) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

18.06 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.8% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,700 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

35,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

18.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

23.01 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.62 years (2010 est.)

male

69.91 years

total population

73.18 years

Literacy

definition: age 5 and over can read and write

female

79.6% (2007 census)

male

82.8%

total population

81.1%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

water contact disease

leptospirosis (2009)

Median age

female

25.3 years (2010 est.)

male

22.5 years

total

23.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Net migration rate

-9.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

6,052,064 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.332% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2008)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.12 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

61% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 42 N, 89 12 W

name

San Salvador

time difference

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

Constitution

20 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert BLAU

embassy

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

FAX

[503] 2501-2150

mailing address

Unit 3450, APO AA 34023; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450

telephone

[503] 2501-2999

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

Suite 100, 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Francisco Robert ALTSCHUL Fuentes

consulate(s)

Boston, Elizabeth (New Jersey)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Dallas, Duluth (Georgia), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge (Virginia)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-3763

telephone

[1] (202) 265-9671

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Mauricio FUNES Cartagena elected president; percent of vote - Mauricio FUNES Cartagena 51.3%, Rodrigo AVILA 48.7%

elections

president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held on 15 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2014)

head of government

President Mauricio FUNES Cartagena (since 1 June 2009); Vice President Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (since 1 June 2009)

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; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity note: 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

Government type

republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, CD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)

Legal system

based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

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

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 35, ARENA 32, PCN 11, PDC 5, CD 1; note - as of 1 January 2011, the current composition of the legislature by seats is as follows: FMLN 35, ARENA 19, GANA 16, PCN 10, PDC 2, CD 1, Independent 1

elections

last held on 18 January 2009 (next to be held in March 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE note: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; the anthem of El Salvador is one of the world's longest

name

"Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Oscar KATTAN] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Alfredo CRISTIANI]; Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Andres ROVIRA]

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.33% (31 December 2008) 7.81% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

-$907 million (2010 est.) -$374 million (2009)

Debt - external

$11.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $10.83 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

52.4 (2002) 52.5 (2001)

Economy - overview

Despite being the smallest country geographically in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy in the region. The economy took a hit from the global recession and real GDP contracted by 3.5% in 2009. The economy began a slow recovery in 2010 on the back of improved export and remittances figures. Remittances accounted for 16% of GDP in 2009, and about a third of all households receive these transfers. In 2006 El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition and the expiration of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. El Salvador has promoted an open trade and investment environment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region, the primary conflict zone during the civil war, through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy. Any counter-cyclical policy response to the downturn must be through fiscal policy, which is constrained by legislative requirements for a two-thirds majority to approve any international financing.

Electricity - consumption

4.676 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

7 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

38 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

5.559 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Exports

$4.377 billion (2010 est.) $3.797 billion (2009)

Exports - commodities

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures

Exports - partners

US 43.86%, Guatemala 13.92%, Honduras 13.22%, Nicaragua 5.65% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

11%

industry

29.1%

services

59.9% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,300 (2010 est.) $7,200 (2009 est.) $7,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2010 est.) -3.5% (2009 est.) 2.4% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.8 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$43.98 billion (2010 est.) $43.46 billion (2009 est.) $45.04 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 37% (2005)

Imports

$7.98 billion (2010 est.) $7.255 billion (2009)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 29.79%, Mexico 10.26%, Guatemala 9.7%, China 4.5%, Honduras 4.4% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

0.9% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.8% (2010 est.) -0.2% (2009)

Investment (gross fixed)

13.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

2.94 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

19%

industry

23%

services

58% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.432 billion (31 December 2009) $4.656 billion (31 December 2008) $6.743 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

46,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

1,927 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

46,310 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

30.7% (2006 est.)

Public debt

55% of GDP (2010 est.) 52.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.819 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.985 billion (31 December 2009)

Stock of broad money

$9.666 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $9.011 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$273 million (31 December 2010 est.) $333 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$7.522 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $7.132 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$10.01 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $9.867 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$2.534 billion (31 December 2010 est) $2.153 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

7% (2010 est.) 7.2% (2009 est.) note: data are official rates; but the economy has much underemployment

Broadcast media

multiple privately-owned national terrestrial television networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and 1 government-owned radio broadcast station (2007)

Internet country code

.sv

Internet hosts

13,849 (2010)

Internet users

746,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

nationwide microwave radio relay system

general assessment

multiple mobile-cellular providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2009 teledensity exceeded 100 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition

international

country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.099 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

7.566 million (2009)

Airports

65 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 47 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Railways

narrow gauge

283 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways have been inoperable since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2008)

total

283 km

Roadways

paved

2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways)

total

10,886 km

unpaved

8,059 km (2000)

Waterways

Rio Lempa is partially navigable for small craft (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,426,142 females age 16-49: 1,590,778 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,056,532 females age 16-49: 1,356,824 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

68,821 (2010 est.)

male

71,292

Military branches

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2009)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2009)

Disputes - international

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; 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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine page last updated on January 19, 2011 ======================================================================