2020 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. El Salvador is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs.

Area

land

20,721 sq km

total

21,041 sq km

water

320 sq km

Area - comparative

about the same size as New Jersey

Climate

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

Coastline

307 km

Elevation

highest point

Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

442 m

Geographic coordinates

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

240 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km

total

590 km

Land use

agricultural land

57.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.)

forest

33% (2023 est.)

other

9.3% (2023 est.)

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: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), 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 (2,130 m) 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

Population distribution

high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Age structure

0-14 years

25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642)

15-64 years

66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416)

65 years and over

8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

4.3% (2021)

women married by age 18

19.7% (2021)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5% (2021 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.7% (2021 est.)

Death rate

5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.1 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

7.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

43 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

29.9 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

15.9% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.68 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.7% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

21.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.5 years

male

72.4 years

total population

75.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

88.2% (2024 est.)

male

91.6% (2024 est.)

total population

89.8% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

39 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

31.2 years

male

28.2 years

total

31.2 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Net migration rate

-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.6% (2016)

Physician density

1.62 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

3,308,078

male

3,026,645

total

6,334,723 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.34% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2023 est.)

male

11 years (2023 est.)

total

11 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.7% (2025 est.)

male

14.7% (2025 est.)

total

7.8% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.4 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

75.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapán, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlán, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazán, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulután

Capital

etymology

Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish

geographic coordinates

13 42 N, 89 12 W

name

San Salvador

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended

history

many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form

El Salvador

etymology

means "the Savior" in Spanish and is a shortened form of "the Divine Savior of the World" (el Divino Salvador del Mundo), referring to Jesus Christ; 16th-century Spanish colonists gave the name "San Salvador" to the fort located where the country's capital of San Salvador now stands, and the name was later used for the city and the surrounding region; the country was officially named El Salvador in 1824

local long form

República de El Salvador

local short form

El Salvador

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Naomi C. FELLOWS (since August 2025)

email address and website

ACSSanSal@state.gov https://sv.usembassy.gov/

embassy

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

FAX

[503] 2501-2150

mailing address

3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450

telephone

[503] 2501-2999

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020)

consulate(s) general

Aurora (CO), Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Doral (FL), Duluth (GA), El Paso (TX), Elizabeth (NJ), Fresno (CA), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Long Island (NY), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, Omaha (NE), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Silver Spring (MD), Springdale (AR), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Woodbridge (VA)

email address and website

infoEEUU@rree.gob.sv https://rree.gob.sv/embajadas-consulados-y-misiones-permanentes-de-la-republica-de-el-salvador/

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3763

telephone

[1] (202) 595-7500

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president

chief of state

President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019)

election results

2024: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez reelected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (Nuevas Ideas) 84.7%, Manuel FLORES (FMLN) 6.4%, Joel SANCHEZ (ARENA) 5.6%, Luis PARADA (NT) 2%, other 1.3% 2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.7%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.4%, other 0.8%

election/appointment process

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)

expected date of next election

28 February 2027; note - on 31 July 2025, the Legislative Assembly voted to move the date of the next presidential election from 2029 to 2027 to bring the presidential election cycle in line with the three-year legislative and municipal election cycle

head of government

President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019)

most recent election date

4 February 2024

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a round emblem with the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL around it meaning: the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land, as well as peace and prosperity history: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers)

judge selection and term of office

judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed

subordinate courts

Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace

Legal system

civil law system with minor common law influence; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

February 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Legislative Assembly (Asamblea legislativa)

most recent election date

2/4/2024

number of seats

60 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

New Ideas (N) (54); Other (6)

percentage of women in chamber

31.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

3 years

National anthem(s)

history

officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at four minutes and 20 seconds, the anthem is one of the world's longest

lyrics/music

Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE

title

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

National color(s)

blue, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National symbol(s)

turquoise-browed motmot (bird)

Political parties

Christian Democratic Party or PDC Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA National Coalition Party or PCN Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT Vamos or V

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

26.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$10.313 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$9.359 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$2.144 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$367.831 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$632.549 million (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$12.668 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy

Exports

Exports 2022

$10.164 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$10.629 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$11.586 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 36%, Guatemala 17%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 8%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

32.8% (2024 est.)

government consumption

19.2% (2024 est.)

household consumption

79.6% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.9% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.2% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.4% (2024 est.)

industry

22.4% (2024 est.)

services

61% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.365 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

39.8 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.7% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

1.9% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$18.181 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$17.034 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$18.354 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

0.4% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

0.9% (2024 est.)

Labor force

2.89 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

26.6% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

102.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$69.621 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$72.085 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$73.961 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$11,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$11,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$11,700 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

24.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

24.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

24% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.695 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$3.079 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$3.705 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.5% (2024 est.)

male

5.2% (2024 est.)

total

6.7% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

500 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6.335 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

140 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

750.096 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.803 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

770.613 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

14% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

24.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

24.421 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

56,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

3 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11 (2022 est.)

total

671,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio stations and 2 government-owned radio stations; transition to digital transmission was set to begin in 2018, along with adoption of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022)

Internet country code

.sv

Internet users

percent of population

68% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

885,000 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

177 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

11.2 million (2024 est.)

Airports

27 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YS

Merchant marine

by type

other 5

total

5 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

3

small

0

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

3

Railways

narrow gauge

12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge

total

12.5 km (2014)

Military - note

the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) is responsible for defending national sovereignty and ensuring territorial integrity but also has considerable domestic security responsibilities; while the National Civil Police (PNC) are responsible for maintaining public security, the country’s constitution allows the president to use the FAES “in exceptional circumstances” to maintain internal peace and public security; in 2016, the government created a special joint unit of Army commandos and police to fight criminal gangs; more military personnel were devoted to internal security beginning in 2019 when President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat rising gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security the military led the country for much of the 20th century; from 1980 to 1992, it fought a bloody civil war against guerrillas from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front or FMLN, the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Revolutionary Front (Frente Democrático Revolucionario), a coalition of left-wing dissident political groups backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union; the FAES received considerable US support during the conflict; significant human rights violations occurred during the war and approximately 75,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, were killed (2025)

Military and security forces

The Armed Forces of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Naval Force of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña, FAS) Ministry of Justice and Public Safety: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active FAES (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAES is lightly armed with an inventory of mostly older or secondhand arms and equipment, largely provided by the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (17-22 for military schools); men are subject to selective compulsory military service; service obligation up to 18 months (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

35,391 (2024 est.)

refugees

392 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

948,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

7.745 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

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

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Particulate matter emissions

23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

26.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.411 billion cubic meters (2022)

industrial

94.316 million cubic meters (2022)

municipal

433.229 million cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1.649 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.2% (2022 est.)