2023 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

274 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km

total

590 km

Land use

agricultural land

74.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.)

forest

13.6% (2018 est.)

other

11.7% (2018 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 hurricanesvolcanism: 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), 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

Population distribution

athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; 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

25.4% (male 857,304/female 819,670)

15-64 years

66.39% (male 2,072,784/female 2,310,573)

65 years and over

8.21% (2023 est.) (male 232,684/female 309,355)

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

17.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

4.3%

women married by age 18

19.7% (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

71.9% (2014)

Current health expenditure

9.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.3

potential support ratio

8.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

51.3

youth dependency ratio

39

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.2% of population

improved: total

total: 98.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.99 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), Nawat (among some Amerindians)

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

79.3 years

male

72.2 years

total population

75.6 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

87.3% (2019)

male

91.3%

total population

89.1%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

43 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

30.7 years

male

27.7 years

total

29.2 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2008 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Salvadoran

noun

Salvadoran(s)

Net migration rate

-7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

6,602,370 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador

Population growth rate

0.46% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 36%, other 2%, none 12% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.1% of population

improved: total

total: 99.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2018)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.7% (2020 est.)

male

14.1% (2020 est.)

total

7.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (2023 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); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan

Capital

etymology

Spanish for "Holy Savior" (referring to Jesus Christ)

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

amendments

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; amended 2003, 2009, 2014

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

name is an abbreviation of the original Spanish conquistador designation for the area "Provincia de Nuestro Senor Jesus Cristo, el Salvador del Mundo" (Province of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World), which became simply "El Salvador" (The Savior)

local long form

República de El Salvador

local short form

El Salvador

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador William H. DUNCAN (since 24 January 2023)

email address and website

ACSSanSal@state.govhttps://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

Atlanta, Boston, Brentwood (NY), Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Tucson (AZ), Washington (DC), Woodbridge (VA)

email address and website

infoEEUU@rree.gob.sv

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3763

telephone

[1] (202) 595-7500

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the president

chief of state

Acting President Claudia Juana RODRÍGUEZ de Guevara (since 1 December 2023); note - parliament granted a six-month leave of absence to President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez and Vice President Félix Augusto Antonio ULLOA Garay (to allow them to participate in the 4 February 2024 presidential election) and approved the appointment of Claudia Juana RODRÍGUEZ de Guevara as acting president from 1 December 2023 to 1 June 2024

election results

2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.72%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.41%, other 0.77%2014: Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (FMLN) 48.9%, Norman QUIJANO (ARENA) 39%, Antonio SACA (CN) 11.4%, other 0.7%; percent of vote in second round - Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN 50.1%, Norman QUIJANO 49.9%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 5-year term; election last held on 3 February 2019 (next to be held on 4 February 2024)

head of government

Acting President Claudia Juana RODRÍGUEZ de Guevara (since 1 December 2023)

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 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

note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

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

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; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and a single nationwide constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 3-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NI 66.5%, ARENA 12.2%, FMLN 6.9%, GANA 5.3%, PCN 4.1%, other 5%; seats by party - NI 56, ARENA 14, GANA 5, FMLN 4, other 5; composition - men 61, women 23, percent of women 27.4%

elections

last held on 28 February 2021 (next to be held in 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE

name

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

note

note: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at 4:20 minutes, the anthem of El Salvador is one of the world's longest

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); national colors: blue, white

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Reynaldo CARBALLO]Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Oscar ORTIZ]Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Nelson GUARDADO]National Coalition Party or PCN [Manuel RODRIGUEZ]Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Erick SALGUERO]New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI [Xavier Zablah BUKELE]Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT [Juan VALIENTE]Vamos or V [Josue ALVARADO Flores]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, maize, milk, poultry, sorghum, beans, coconuts, eggs, apples, oranges

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

26.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$7.273 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$6.448 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B- (2017)

Moody's rating

B3 (2018)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2018)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$113.356 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$202.947 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.457 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$16.712 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$17.24 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

growth-challenged Central American economy buttressed via remittances; dense labor force; fairly aggressive COVID-19 stimulus plan; new and lower banking reserve requirements; earthquake, tropical storm, and crime disruptions; widespread corruption

Exchange rates

Currency

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

Exchange rates 2017

1 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$8.057 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$6.295 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$8.491 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

clothing, electrical capacitors, plastic lids, sugar, packaged medicines, toilet paper (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 40%, Guatemala 15%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 6% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

27.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

15.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

84.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-44.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

12% (2017 est.)

industry

27.7% (2017 est.)

services

60.3% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$27.023 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

38.8 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.3% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$12.469 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$10.764 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$15.754 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, packaged medicines, clothing, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 30%, China 14%, Guatemala 13%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

9.47% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.08% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-0.37% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.47% (2021 est.)

Labor force

2.658 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

22.8% (2019 est.)

Public debt

note

note: El Salvador's total public debt includes non-financial public sector debt, financial public sector debt, and central bank debt

Public debt 2018

52.21% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

53.88% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

71.41% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$56.657 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$52.024 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$57.371 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.44% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-8.18% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.28% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$9,000 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$8,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$9,100 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$4.446 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$3.083 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$3.426 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.66% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: data are official rates; but underemployment is high

Unemployment rate 2019

4.17% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

6.25% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.94% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

18.3%

male

11.3%

total

13.7% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

7.63 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

7.632 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6,443,200,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

158 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

1.45 billion kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.586 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

795.8 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

94% (2021)

electrification - total population

97.8% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

99.2% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

12.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

28.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

22.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

30% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

7.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

24.124 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

59,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

347 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

49,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2020 est.)

total

586,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.sv

Internet users

percent of population

63% (2021 est.)

total

3.969 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line services, roughly 14 per 100, mobile-cellular competition now at 175 subscribers per 100 inhabitants (2021)

general assessment

El Salvador is the smallest country in central America geographically, it has the fourth largest economy in the region; the country’s telecom sector has been restricted by poor infrastructure and unequal income distribution; there have been organizational delays which have slowed the development of telecom services; El Salvador’s fixed-line teledensity is substantially lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; there has been a significant drop in the number of fixed lines since 2010, particularly in 2017, largely due to the substitution for mobile-only alternatives; about 94% of all telephony lines in the country are on mobile networks; mobile subscriptions are remarkably high considering El Salvador’s economic indicators, being about a third higher than average for Latin America and the Caribbean; the country was one of the last in the region to provide LTE services, mainly due to the inadequate provision of suitable spectrum; the multi-spectrum auction conducted at the end of 2019 has allowed MNOs to improve the reach and quality of their service offerings; El Salvador’s telecom legislation is one of the more liberal in Latin America, encouraging competition in most areas and permitting foreign investment; there are no regulations which promote wholesale broadband; the only effective cross-platform competition in the broadband market comes from the few cable operators; there has been some market consolidation in recent years (2021)

international

country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

856,090 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

175 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

11,071,073 (2021 est.)

Airports

68 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

5

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

63

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YS

Heliports

2 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

other 4

total

4 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

10.73 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,545,105 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

13

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Puerto Cutuco

oil terminal(s)

Acajutla offshore terminal

Railways

narrow gauge

12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge

total

12.5 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

5,341 km (2017)

total

9,012 km (2017)

unpaved

3,671 km (2017)

Waterways

422 km (2022) (Rio Lempa River is partially navigable by small craft)

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) is 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 1,000-strong 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; since the decree, a considerable portion of the Army has been deployed in support of the PNC; in multiple cases since 2022, for example, as many as 8,000 troops have been deployed alongside thousands of police on single operations against criminal gang members the FAES trains regularly, as well as with regional partners and the US, in such areas as internal security and disaster relief operations; it has deployed small numbers of personnel on UN peacekeeping missions and in support of military operations in Iraq (2003-2009); the FAES is deployed throughout the country in zones; the Army’s combat units are 6 infantry brigades, plus a special security brigade comprised of border guards and military police, and an artillery brigade; the Navy operates about 10 patrol boats and has a small force of naval commandos; the Air Force has a few dozen light ground attack fixed-wing aircraft and multirole helicoptersthe 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

the Armed Force of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Navy of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2023)

note

note: the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) are under the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety; in 2016, El Salvador created a combined Army commando and PNC unit to combat criminal gang violence

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active military personnel (21,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

110 Mali (MINUSMA) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAES has a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and non-commissioned officers (2023)

note

note: as of 2016, women made up about 6% of the active duty military

Disputes - international

El Salvador-Honduras: International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States 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 with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca.

Illicit drugs

a transit country for illicit drugs destined for the United States;  a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

52,000 (2022)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — El Salvador does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; El Salvador hired more police and prosecutors in specialized anti-trafficking units and provided awareness training for Salvadorans participating in temporary work programs abroad; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous year, to improve its anti-trafficking capacity; the government investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers; less than half of all victims received government services or referrals to care providers, and services provided were inadequate; the government arrested and detained thousands of suspected gang members, disabling criminal networks that fueled demand for sex and labor trafficking, but authorities arrested and detained children affiliated with gangs without screening for trafficking indicators; interagency coordination remained weak, government data was unreliable, and the national anti-trafficking council did not reconcile the data or publish a report on the government’s 2022 efforts; therefore, El Salvador remained on Tier 2 Watch list (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in El Salvador, and traffickers exploit victims from El Salvador abroad; adults and children are exploited in sex trafficking within the country; orphans, adolescent girls, and LGBTQI+ persons are at particular risk; sex trafficking reportedly occurs in the tourism industry; traffickers exploit victims within their own communities or homes, sometimes their own children or other family members; Salvadoran adults and children are exploited in forced labor in agriculture, domestic service, and begging; adults and children from neighboring countries—particularly Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor in construction, domestic service, or the informal sector; traffickers recruit victims in regions of El Salvador with high levels of violence and capitalize on fear to coerce victims and their families through threats of violence; in 2022, territorial gang control decreased dramatically across El Salvador, following the arrests of thousands of suspected gang members under the government’s state of exception; reports indicate extortion and violence declined significantly, but no data is available on the state of exception’s impact on trafficking; prior to the state of exception, limited government presence in gang-controlled territory exacerbated trafficking risks among vulnerable groups; many families were displaced fleeing gang exploitation of children; transnational criminal organizations and gangs, including MS-13 and Barrio 18, recruited, abducted, trained, armed, and subjected children to forced labor—including assassinations, extortion, and drug trafficking; these groups subjected women and children, including LGBTQI+ children, to sex trafficking and forced labor in domestic service and child care; Salvadoran men, women, and children are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and the US; traffickers exploit some Salvadorans who irregularly migrate to the US in forced labor, criminal activity, and sex trafficking en route or upon arrival; traffickers exploit some victims from Asia, South America, or other Central American countries in sex and labor trafficking in El Salvador; reported corruption and complicity among some government officials may have obstructed anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts (2023)

Space agency/agencies

El Salvador Aerospace Institute (ESAI; established 2018) is an aerospace think tank that is authorized by the Salvadoran Government decree to lead the country’s national aerospace strategy (2023)

Space program overview

small, nascent space effort; ESAI serves as a link and coordination body for the aerospace industry with a focus on research, development, and innovation, particularly in the fields of science, technology, and engineering; has sought training and cooperation on space programs from South Korea and Turkey (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

7.17 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.71 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

22.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, 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

Land use

agricultural land

74.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.)

forest

13.6% (2018 est.)

other

11.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

26.27 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.43 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

210 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

470 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

75.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,648,996 tons (2010 est.)