Country
El Salvador
Leader
Population
4,140,289 6,090,646
Life Expectancy
75.230 years 73.690 years
Capital City
San Salvador
Largest city
Beirut (population: 1,916,100) San Salvador (population: 525,990)
Human Development Index
0.796 0.747 GDP per capita $7,600 US
Literacy Rate
87.4% 80.2%
Corruption Perception Index
3 3.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
4.7% 16.7% Wealthiest Citizens Najib Mikati ($2.0bn US) NA Unemployment Rate 7.000%
Death Penalty
Legal Abolished except for special circumstances
Political System
republic republic
Independence date
15 September 1821 (from Spain) Religions Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.) Languages Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) Exports offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity External Debt $12,950,000,000 US Exchange Rate the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001 Military Budget as percentage of GDP 0.600% Beijing Olympics Medal Count Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras Area 10,400 km sq 21,041 km sq Coastline 225 km 307 km Climate Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
