constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Independence date
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Religions
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Languages
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Area
21,041 km sq
181 km sq
Coastline
307 km
370 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
