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El Salvador


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Introduction - El Salvador:
CountryEl Salvador

BackgroundEl 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.

Location - El Salvador:
LocationCentral America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map referencesCentral America and the Caribbean

Areatotal: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km

Area comparativeslightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundariestotal: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline307 km

Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrainmostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremeslowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resourceshydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land usearable land: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88%
other: 56.75% (2005)

Irrigated land450 sq km (2003)

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

Environment current issuesdeforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment international agreementsparty 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

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

People - El Salvador:
Population6,948,073 (July 2007 est.)

Age structure0-14 years: 36.1% (male 1,281,889/female 1,228,478)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,942,674/female 2,134,154)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 158,276/female 202,602) (2007 est.)

Median agetotal: 22 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 23.2 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate1.699% (2007 est.)

Birth rate26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.781 male(s)/female
total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality ratetotal: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 71.78 years
male: 68.18 years
female: 75.57 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hiv aids adult prevalence rate0.7% (2003 est.)

Hiv aids people living with hiv aids29,000 (2003 est.)

Hiv aids deaths2,200 (2003 est.)

Nationalitynoun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groupsmestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

ReligionsRoman Catholic 83%, other 17%
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

LanguagesSpanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacydefinition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government - El Salvador:
Country nameconventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador
local long form: Republica de El Salvador
local short form: El Salvador

Government typerepublic

Capitalname: San Salvador
geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions14 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

Independence15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holidayIndependence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution20 December 1983

Legal systembased on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

Suffrage18 years of age; universal

Executive branchchief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branchunicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2

Judicial branchSupreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leadersChristian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]

Political pressure groups and leaderslabor 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 participationBCIE, CACM, FAO, 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, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the uschief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC
consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the uschief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone: [503] 2278-4444
FAX: [503] 2278-5522

Flag descriptionthree 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 - El Salvador:
Economy overviewThe smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 16% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.

Gdp purchasing power parity $33.68 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp official exchange rate $15.16 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp real growth rate4.2% (2006 est.)

Gdp per capita ppp $4,900 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sectoragriculture: 9.7%
industry: 29.6%
services: 60.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force2.856 million (2006 est.)

Labor force by occupationagriculture: 17.1%
industry: 17.1%
services: 65.8% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line35.2% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 0.67%
highest 10%: 38.76% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index52.5 (2001)

Inflation rate consumer prices 4.9% (2006 est.)

Investment gross fixed 16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budgetrevenues: $2.82 billion
expenditures: $2.94 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.)

Public debt42.6% of GDP (2006)

Agriculture productscoffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp

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

Industrial production growth rate2% (2006 est.)

Electricity production5.293 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity consumption5.204 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity exports95.5 million kWh (2006)

Electricity imports11.2 million kWh (2006)

Oil production0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil consumption43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil exportsNA bbl/day

Oil importsNA bbl/day

Oil proved reserves0 bbl

Natural gas production0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas consumption0 cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance-$1.059 billion (2006 est.)

Exports$3.686 billion (2006 est.)

Exports commoditiesoffshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports partnersUS 49.8%, Guatemala 14.4%, Honduras 8.9%, Nicaragua 5.1% (2006)

Imports$7.326 billion (2006 est.)

Imports commoditiesraw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports partnersUS 30.6%, Guatemala 8.8%, Mexico 8.5%, Germany 6%, China 4.5%, Brazil 4.2% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$1.951 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid recipient$127.5 million of which, $55 million from US (2005)

Currency code US dollar (USD)

Exchange ratesthe US dollar became El Salvadors currency in 2001

Communications - El Salvador:
Fiscal yearcalendar year

Telephones main lines in use1.037 million (2006)

Telephones mobile cellular3.852 million (2006)

Telephone systemgeneral assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stationsAM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)

Television broadcast stations5 (1997)

Internet country code.sv

Internet hosts4,682 (2006)

Internet users637,000 (2005)

Transportation - El Salvador:
Airports75 (2006)

Airports with paved runwaystotal: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Airports with unpaved runwaystotal: 71
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 56 (2006)

Heliports1 (2006)

Railwaystotal: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge
note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)

Roadwaystotal: 10,886 km
paved: 2,827 km
unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)

WaterwaysRio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)

Ports and terminalsAcajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Military - El Salvador:
Military branchesSalvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)

Military service age and obligation18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military servicemales age 18-49: 1,391,278
females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military servicemales age 18-49: 960,315
females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annuallymales age 18-49: 70,286
females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures percent of gdp5% (2006)

Disputes internationalInternational 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


This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007
Source: CIA >>>

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