El Salvador
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Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

El Salvador
Geography
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
Areacomparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)
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
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
Environmentcurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils
from disposal of toxic wastes
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographynote: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on
Caribbean Sea
People
Population: 5,752,067 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 1,088,579; female 1,042,087)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,575,806; female 1,748,250)
65 years and over: 5% (male 135,556; female 161,789) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.57% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 26.71 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.32 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 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: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 29.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.66 years
male: 66.31 years
female: 73.17 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: mestizo 94%, Amerindian 5%, white 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 75%
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 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.5%
male: 73.5%
female: 69.8% (1995 est.)
Government
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
Data code: ES
Government type: republic
National capital: San Salvador
Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singulardepartamento); 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: 20 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
note: Legislative Assembly passed landmark judicial reforms in 1996
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique
BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); notethe president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique
BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); notethe president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote
for five-year terms; election last held 20 March 1994, with a run-off election
held 24 April 1994 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: Armando CALDERON Sol elected president; percent of voteArmando CALDERON
Sol (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ
Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%; because no candidate received a majority,
a run-off election was held and the results were as followsArmando CALDERON
Sol (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
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 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)
election results: percent of vote by partyARENA 35.4%, FMLN 34.3%, PCN 8.1%, PDC 7.9%,
CD 3.8%, PRSC 3.4%, PLD 3.2%, MU 2.1%, PD 1.0%, other 0.8%; seats by party
- ARENA 28, FMLN 27, PCN 9, PDC 8, PRSC 3, CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1, independent
3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative
Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance or ARENA Alfredo CRISTIANI; Farabundo
Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN Facundo GUARDADO, general coordinator;
Christian Democratic Party or PDC Ronal UMANA, secretary general; title in
dispute; National Conciliation Party or PCN Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary
general; Democratic Convergence or CD Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general;
Popular Labor Party or PPL Jose VILANOVA, secretary general; Liberal Democratic
Party or PLD Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president; Social Christian Union or USC
(formed by union of the PRSC, MU, and MSN) Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president;
Democratic Party or PD Ana Guadeloupe MARTINEZ, president
Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor organizations: National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers (CNTS)National Union of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS); Federation of the Construction
Industry, Similar, Transport and other activities (FESINCONTRANS); Salvadoran
Workers Central (CTS); Port Industry Union of El Salvador (SIPES); Electrical
Industry Union of El Salvador (SIES); Workers Union of Electrical Corporation
(STCEL)
business organizations: Salvadoran Industrial Association (ASI)Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association (ASIC); National Association
of Small Enterprise (ANEP)
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, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene A. LEON
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: 1 (202) 265-9671, 9672
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 Anne W. PATTERSON
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, 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 bandit 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
Economyoverview: In 1997 the government emphasized a fixed exchange rate, along with
conservative monetary and fiscal policies to promote foreign investment. Inflation
fell to an unprecedented low of 2%. Exports reached a record level and were
the main engine of growth. Productivity in other sectors remained weaker,
however. For the last few years, El Salvador has experienced sizable deficits
in both its trade and its fiscal accounts. The trade deficit has been offset
by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans living abroad and from
external aid. The deficit is expected to increase in 1998 as imports continue
to rise. San Salvador is stepping up its privatization efforts in 1998 to
increase revenues. Late in 1997 the legislative assembly approved a privatization
law that will facilitate the sale of the state-owned telephone company sometime
in 1998. The government also plans to privatize pension funds later in the
year.
GDP: purchasing power parity$17.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDPreal growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$3,000 (1997 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 24%
services: 61% (1997 est.)
Inflation rateconsumer price index: 2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 2.26 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial
services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%
Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.75 billion
expenditures: $1.82 billion, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1997
est.)
Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles,
furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997 est.)
Electricitycapacity: 900,000 kW (1996)
Electricityproduction: 3.5 billion kWh (1997)
Electricityconsumption per capita: 603 kWh (1997 est.)
Agricultureproducts: coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef,
dairy products; shrimp
Exports:
total value: $1.96 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: coffee, sugar; shrimp; textiles
partners: US, Guatemala, Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras
Imports:
total value: $3.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels
partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Japan
Debtexternal: $2.6 billion (yearend 1997)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $763 million (1996)
note: US has committed $280 million in economic assistance to El Salvador
for 1995-97 (excludes military aid)
Currency: 1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 (end of period)8.755 (January 1998-1995),
8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993)
note: as of 1 June 1990, the rate is based on the average of the buying and
selling rates, set on a weekly basis, for official receipts and payments,
imports of petroleum, and coffee exports; prior to that date, a system of
floating was in effect
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 350,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
Central American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 18, FM 80, shortwave 2
Radios: 1.5 million (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 11 (1996 est.)
Televisions: 700,000 (1997 est.)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 602 km (single track; notesome sections abandoned, unusable, or operating
at reduced capacity)
narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:
total: 9,977 km
paved: 1,985 km (including 266 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,992 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable
Ports and harbors: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 88 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 84
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 66 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpowermilitary age: 18 years of age
Military manpoweravailability:
males age 15-49: 1,362,504 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerfit for military service:
males: 864,419 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerreaching military age annually:
males: 65,130 (1998 est.)
Military expendituresdollar figure: $104 million (1997)
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: 0.9% (1997)
Transnational Issues
Disputesinternational: land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September
1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; the presidents of Honduras
and El Salvador signed in January 1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the
1992 demarcated areas to choose Honduran or Salvadoran citizenship; the two
countries also agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year;
the agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both countries;
with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred
to an earlier agreement in this century 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
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