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| Introduction | El Salvador |
| 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. |
| People | El Salvador |
| Population: | 6,587,541 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 36.8% (male 1,237,262; female 1,185,750) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,819,035; female 2,009,032) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 150,221; female 186,241) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 21.4 years male: 20.2 years female: 22.5 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.78% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 27.48 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| 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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 25.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.92 years male: 67.31 years female: 74.7 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.2 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.7% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 29,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 2,200 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran |
| Ethnic groups: | mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9% |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 83% 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 |
| Languages: | Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.) |
| Government | El Salvador |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | San Salvador |
| 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 |
| Independence: | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
| Constitution: | 23 December 1983 |
| 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 |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA (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 (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 NA March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8% |
| 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 NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; United Democratic Center or CDU [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO]; 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 [Walter ARAUJO]; 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 |
| International organization participation: | BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Communications | El Salvador |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 752,600 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,149,800 (2003) |
| 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 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 2.75 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 5 (1997) |
| Televisions: | 600,000 (1990) |
| Internet country code: | .sv |
| Internet hosts: | 4,084 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 4 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 550,000 (2003) |
| Transportation | El Salvador |
| 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 (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo |
| Merchant marine: | none |
| Airports: | 73 (2003 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 (2003 est.) |
| Military | El Salvador |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 1,571,299 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 995,672 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 69,993 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $157 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.1% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | El Salvador |
| Disputes - international: | in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, and the OAS is assisting with a technical resolution of undemarcated bolsones; in 2003, the ICJ rejected El Salvador's request to revise its decision on one part of the bolsones; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Gulf de Fonseca |
| Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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