El Salvador

Internet country code

.sv

Internet hosts

4,084 (2003)

Internet users

550,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general 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

Telephones - main lines in use

752,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,149,800 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.491 billion expenditures: $2.782 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Current account balance

$-880.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$4.792 billion (September 2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

52.5 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient

$125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Economy - overview

GDP per capita is roughly half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy. Implementation of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, ratified by El Salvador in 2004, is viewed as a key policy to help achieve these objectives. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - 16% of GDP in 2004 - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

Electricity - consumption

4.45 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

91 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

473 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

4.158 billion kWh (2004)

Exchange rates

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Exports

$3.249 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners

US 65.6%, Guatemala 11.8%, Honduras 6.3% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$32.35 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 9.2% industry: 31.1% services: 59.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Imports

$5.968 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners

US 46.3%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 6% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

0.7% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force

2.75 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 17.1%, industry 17.1%, services 65.8% (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

36.1% (2003 est.)

Public debt

41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.888 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.3% - but the economy has much underemployment (2004 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); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands 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

360 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Land use

arable land: 31.85% permanent crops: 12.07% other: 56.08% (2001)

Location

Central 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; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Natural resources

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

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

Capital

San Salvador

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-5522

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 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), San Francisco, and Washington, DC consulate(s): Boston

Executive branch

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

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, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or 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 2003 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; 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 [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

El 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,391,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 960,315 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 70,286 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force (FAS)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$157 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.1% (2003)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.5% (male 1,250,901/female 1,198,589) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,860,084/female 2,051,140) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 153,133/female 191,085) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

27.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

29,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.22 years male: 67.61 years female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 21.57 years male: 20.44 years female: 22.69 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Net migration rate

-3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

6,704,932 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

1.75% (2005 est.)

Religions

Roman 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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite OAS intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of the border remains stalled; 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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

Airports

73 (2004 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 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Railways

total: 283 km narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2004)

Waterways

Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)