El Salvador

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.

El Salvador Information

• Population: 6,587,541 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
• Location:: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
• 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
• Ethnic Groups:: mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
• Area: total: 21,040 sq km water: 320 sq km land: 20,720 sq km
• Coast Line: 307 km
• Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
• Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 200 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 31.85% permanent crops: 12.07% other: 56.08% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
• Natural Resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
• Highways: total: 10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)
• 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)
• Ports & Harbours: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo
• Airports: 73 (2003 est.)