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.

Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than Massachusetts

307 km

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

450 sq km (2003)

25.2 cu km (2001)

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.

Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.

6,090,646 (July 2012 est.)

0.303% (2012 est.)

17.44 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

5.63 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

-8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

SAN SALVADOR (capital) 1.534 million (2009)

81 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

2.04 children born/woman (2012 est.)

3.9% of GDP (2009)

1.596 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2009)

urban: 89% of population

rural: 83% of population

total: 87% of population

urban: 11% of population

rural: 17% of population

total: 13% of population

0.8% (2009 est.)

34,000 (2009 est.)

1,400 (2009 est.)

6.1% (2003)

3.6% of GDP (2008)

republic

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

20 December 1983

civil law system with minor common law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)

Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico) or CD [Tomas CHEVEZ] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Andres ROVIRA]; National Coalition (Concertation Nacional) or CN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA] (formerly the National Conciliation Party or PCN); Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Alfredo CRISTIANI]; Party of Hope or PES [Rodolfo Antonio PARKER Soto] (formerly the Christian Democratic Party or PDC)

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

BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity

turquoise-browed motmot (bird)

The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the third largest economy in the region. With the global recession in 2009, real GDP contracted by 3.1%. The economy slowed even further during 2010-12. Remittances accounted for 17% of GDP in 2011 and were received by about a third of all households. In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. El Salvador has promoted an open trade and investment environment and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds. The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during post-war reconstruction and reconstruction following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005. Taxes levied by the government include a value added tax (VAT) of 13%, income tax of 30%, excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes, and import duties. The VAT accounted for about 51.7% of total tax revenues in 2011. El Salvador's external debt amounts to about one-fourth of GDP. In 2012, El Salvador successfully completed a $461 million compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) - a United States Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty in the country's northern region, the primary conflict zone during the civil war, through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure. In December 2011, the MCC approved El Salvador's eligibility to develop a proposal for a program for consideration.

$45.98 billion (2012 est.)

$45.3 billion (2011 est.)

$44.67 billion (2010 est.)

$23.99 billion (2012 est.)

1.5% (2012 est.)

1.4% (2011 est.)

1.4% (2010 est.)

$7,700 (2012 est.)

$7,700 (2011 est.)

$7,600 (2010 est.)

2.593 million (2012 est.)

6.9% (2012 est.)

7% (2011 est.)

36.5% (2010 est.)

46.9 (2007)

52.5 (2001)

14.7% of GDP (2012 est.)

20.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

-2.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

57.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

57.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

2.4% (2012 est.)

5.1% (2011 est.)

6.2% (31 December 2012 est.)

5.99% (31 December 2011 est.)

$2.942 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$2.561 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$9.527 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$9.213 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$11.11 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$10.69 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$5.474 billion (31 December 2011)

$4.227 billion (31 December 2010)

$4.432 billion (31 December 2009)

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products

1.8% (2011 est.)

-$1.035 billion (2012 est.)

-$1.223 billion (2011 est.)

$5.804 billion (2012 est.)

$5.402 billion (2011 est.)

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, gold, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures

US 45.1%, Guatemala 13.3%, Honduras 8.6%, Nicaragua 5.2%, Germany 4.1% (2011)

$10.44 billion (2012 est.)

$9.801 billion (2011 est.)

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

US 39%, Guatemala 9.8%, Mexico 7.7%, China 5.2% (2011)

$2.623 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$2.504 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$12.84 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$12.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$8.747 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$8.097 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$12.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$12.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)

calendar year

5.728 billion kWh (2011 est.)

5.756 billion kWh (2011 est.)

101.6 million kWh (2011 est.)

215.8 million kWh (2011 est.)

1.501 million kW (2009 est.)

53% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

31.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

15.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

13,160 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

16,750 bbl/day (2008 est.)

44,040 bbl/day (2011 est.)

2,158 bbl/day (2008 est.)

26,860 bbl/day (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

6.484 million Mt (2010 est.)

1.03 million (2011)

8.316 million (2011)

multiple privately-owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and 1 government-owned radio broadcast station (2007)

.sv

24,070 (2012)

746,000 (2009)

65 (2012)

2 (2012)

(Rio Lempa is partially navigable for small craft) (2011)

Puerto Cutuco

Salvadoran Armed Forces (FAES): Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2011)

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2009)

0.6% of GDP (2009)

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine