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Guide
Introduction
| |
| Background: |
El Salvador achieved
independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation
in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost the lives of some 75,000
people, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist
rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. |
| Location: |
Middle America, bordering the
North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
13 50 N, 88 55 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America and the
Caribbean |
| Area: |
total: 21,040 sq
km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than
Massachusetts |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
200 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; rainy season (May
to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast;
temperate in uplands |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains with narrow
coastal belt and central plateau |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
| Natural
resources: |
hydropower, geothermal power,
petroleum, arable land |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 27%
permanent crops: 8%
permanent pastures: 29%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 31% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,200 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
known as the Land of
Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and
volcanic activity |
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion;
water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes;
Hurricane Mitch damage |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography
- note: |
smallest Central American
country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea |
| Population: |
6,237,662 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
37.68% (male 1,198,623; female 1,151,584)
15-64 years: 57.27% (male 1,693,865; female 1,878,254)
65 years and over: 5.05% (male 142,345; female 172,991)
(2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.85% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
28.67 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
6.18 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-3.95 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
28.4 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
70.03 years
male: 66.43 years
female: 73.81 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.34 children born/woman
(2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.6% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
20,000 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
1,300 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran |
| Ethnic
groups: |
mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%,
white 9% |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic 86%
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 |
| Languages: |
Spanish, Nahua (among some
Amerindians) |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
10 and over can read and write
total population: 71.5%
male: 73.5%
female: 69.8% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
14 departments (departamentos,
singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan,
La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa
Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan |
| Independence: |
15 September 1821 (from
Spain) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 15
September (1821) |
| Constitution: |
23 December 1983 |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil and Roman law,
with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999); Vice President
Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since
1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June
1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 7 March
1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)
election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president;
percent of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN)
29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CDU) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Legislative
Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA
March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - ARENA 36.1%,
FMLN 35.14%, PCN 8.76%, PDC 7.08%, CD 5.32%, PAN 3.75%, USC 1.47%, PLD
1.29%; seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 31, PCN 14, PDC 5, CD 3, PAN 1,
independent 2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Corte
Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Christian Democratic Party or
PDC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Democratic Convergence or CD (includes PSD, MNR,
MPSC) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge
MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio
CASTILLO]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO,
president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS,
secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda,
president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Walter ARAUJO];
Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social
Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ,
president] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
labor organizations -
Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the
Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or
FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS;
National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El
Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant
Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of
Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National
Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry
Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI |
| International
organization participation: |
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Boston |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS
embassy: Boulevard Santa Elena Final, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone: [503] 278-4444
FAX: [503] 278-6011 |
| 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
- overview: |
El Salvador is a struggling
Central American economy which has been suffering from a weak tax
collection system, factory closings, the aftermaths of Hurricane Mitch
of 1998 and the devastating earthquakes of early 2001, and weak world
coffee prices. On the bright side, in recent years inflation has fallen
to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially. The
trade deficit has been offset by remittances (an estimated $1.6 billion
in 2000) from Salvadorans living abroad and by external aid. As of 1
January 2001, the US dollar was made legal tender alongside the colon. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $24
billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
2.5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$4,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 12%
industry: 28%
services: 60% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
48% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 38.3% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.5% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
2.35 million (1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 30%, industry
15%, services 55% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $1.8
billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
food processing, beverages,
petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
3.641 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
45.65%
hydro: 41.01%
nuclear: 0%
other: 13.34% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
3.638 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
208 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
460 million kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
coffee, sugar, corn, rice,
beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products |
| Exports: |
$2.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
offshore assembly exports,
coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 63%, Guatemala 11%,
Honduras 7%, Costa Rica 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
raw materials, consumer
goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 52%, Guatemala 9%, Mexico
6%, Costa Rica 3% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$4.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
total $252 million; $57
million from US (1999 est.) |
| Currency: |
Salvadoran colon (SVC); US
dollar (USD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Salvadoran colones per US
dollar - 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
380,000 (1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
40,163 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM
30, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: |
2.75 million (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
5 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
600,000 (1990) |
| Internet
country code: |
.sv |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
4 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
40,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge
note: length of route which is operational is reduced to
283 km by disuse and lack of maintainance (2001) |
| Highways: |
total: 10,029 km
paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,043 km (1997) |
| Waterways: |
Rio Lempa partially navigable |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La
Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 79
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 62 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
1,464,898 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
929,263 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 68,103
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$112 million (FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.7% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
with respect to the maritime
boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line
determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and
advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and
Nicaragua likely would be required |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment point for
cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic drug abuse
on the rise |
|
