2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
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.)
Area
total: 21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
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. El Salvador Geography
Birth rate
28.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Capital
San Salvador
Climate
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Coastline
307 km
Constitution
23 December 1983
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
Death rate
6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
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
Ethnic groups
mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
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
Geographic coordinates
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Geography - note
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea El Salvador People
Government type
republic
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.6% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
1,300 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
20,000 (1999 est.)
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Infant mortality rate
28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Irrigated land
1,200 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Land use
arable land: 27% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 29% forests and woodland: 5% other: 31% (1993 est.)
Languages
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
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
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.03 years male: 66.43 years female: 73.81 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.) El Salvador Government
Location
Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 NM
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality
noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Natural hazards
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Net migration rate
-3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Population
6,237,662 (July 2001 est.)
Population growth rate
1.85% (2001 est.)
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
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.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Total fertility rate
3.34 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Government
Agriculture - products
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products
Airports
83 (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.)
Budget
revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Currency
Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD)
Currency code
SVC; USD
Debt - external
$4.1 billion (2000 est.)
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
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
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
Economic aid - recipient
total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.)
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.
Electricity - consumption
3.638 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports
208 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
460 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
3.641 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 45.65% hydro: 41.01% nuclear: 0% other: 13.34% (1999)
Exchange rates
Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993)
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)
FAX
[503] 278-6011
Fiscal year
calendar year El Salvador Communications
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 El Salvador Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $24 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 12% industry: 28% services: 60% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.5% (2000 est.)
Heliports
1 (2000 est.) El Salvador Military
Highways
total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 38.3% (1995)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic drug abuse on the rise
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)
Industrial production growth rate
5% (2000 est.)
Industries
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2000 est.)
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
Internet country code
.sv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
4 (2000)
Internet users
40,000 (2000) El Salvador Transportation
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force
2.35 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)
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
Merchant marine
none (2000 est.)
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$112 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.7% (FY99) El Salvador Transnational Issues
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 - military age
18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 68,103 (2001 est.)
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
Population below poverty line
48% (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo
Radio broadcast stations
AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
2.75 million (1997)
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)
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
Telephones - main lines in use
380,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular
40,163 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
5 (1997)
Televisions
600,000 (1990)
Unemployment rate
10% (2000 est.)
Waterways
Rio Lempa partially navigable