Country
El Salvador
Leader
President: Michel Suleiman
President: Mauricio Funes
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