El Salvador

Radio broadcast stations

AM 18, FM 80, shortwave 2

Radios

1 million (1996 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones

300,000 (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations

11 (1996 est.)

Televisions

600,000 (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp

Budget

revenues : $1.75 billion expenditures: $1.82 billion, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1997 est.)

Currency

1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$2.54 billion (yearend 1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $763 million (1996) note: US has committed $250 million in aid to El Salvador for 1992-96

Economy - overview

El Salvador possesses a fast-growing entrepreneurial economy in which 90% of economic activity is in private hands, with growth averaging 5% since 1990. Yet, because the 1980s were a decade of civil war and stagnation, per capita GDP has not regained the level of the late 1970s. The rebound in the 1990s stems from the government program, in conjunction with the IMF, of privatization, deregulation, and fiscal stabilization. The economy now is oriented more toward manufacturing and services compared with agriculture. The sizable trade deficits are in the main covered by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans abroad.

Electricity - capacity

900,000 kW (1996)

Electricity - consumption per capita

580 kWh (1996 est.)

Electricity - production

3.32 billion kWh (1996)

Exchange rates

Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 (end of period) - 8.755 (January 1997), 8.755 (1996), 8.755 (1995), 8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993), 9.170 (1992), 8.080 (1991) 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

Exports

total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, sugarcane; shrimp; textiles, chemicals partners: US, Guatemala, Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 14% industry : 27% services: 59% (1995)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,080 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $3.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities : raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

7.6% (1993)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

7.4% (1996)

Labor force

total: 2.2 million (1996 est.) by occupation: agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%

Unemployment rate

7.6% (1996 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)

Coastline

307 km

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geography - note

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

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.)

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

Natural hazards

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

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

Constitution

20 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

Data code

ES

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Anne PATTERSON embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL 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

Executive branch

chief of state : President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); note - the 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); note - the 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 vote - Armando 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 follows - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly

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

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 party - ARENA 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 11, PDC 9, PRSC 3, CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1

National capital

San Salvador

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Gloria SALGUERO Gross, president]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren (aka Leonel GONZALEZ), general coordinator]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ronal UMANA, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Unity Movement Party or MU [Jorge MARTINEZ Menendez, president]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, founder]; Democratic Party or PD (breakaway from FMLN) [Joaquin VILLALOBOS, founder, Ana Guadalupe MARTINEZ, leader]; Social Christian Renovation Party or PRSC (breakaway from PDC) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, founder]

Political pressure groups and leaders

labor organizations - Salvadoran Communal Union or UCS (peasant association); General Confederation of Workers or CGT (moderate); United Workers Front or FUT; business organizations - Productive Alliance or AP (conservative); National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen or FENAPES (conservative)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$101 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.9% (1996)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,330,498 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males : 844,314 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males : 64,530 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 1,084,198; female 1,038,248) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,538,609; female 1,709,756) 65 years and over : 5% (male 133,038; female 157,978) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

27.22 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

mestizo 94%, Amerindian 5%, white 1%

Infant mortality rate

30.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.27 years male : 65.89 years female: 72.81 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.5% male : 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Net migration rate

-4.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

5,661,827 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.6% (1997 est.)

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

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 total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.13 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; 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 EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Airports

72 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 52 over 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 48 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 20 914 to 1,523 m: 20 (1996 est.)

Heliports

1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 12,320 km paved: 1,712 km (including 110 km of expressways) unpaved : 10,608 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Railways

total: 602 km (single track; note - some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity) narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable