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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 1% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,415,691 males fit for military service: 905,938 males reach military age (18) annually: 78,660 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 77, FM 0, shortwave 2

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

116,000 (1984 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

5 (1986 est.)

Televisions [time series]

500,700 (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseed; beef, dairy products; shrimp

Budget [time series]

revenues: $846 million expenditures: $890 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $777 million (1993) note: US has committed $250 million in aid to El Salvador for 1992-96

Economic overview [time series]

El Salvador possesses a fast-growing entrepreneurial economy in which 90% of economic activity is in private hands, with growth averaging 5% since 1990. Yet, because the 1980s were a decade of civil war and stagnation, per capita GDP has not regained the level of the late 1970s. The rebound in the 1990s stems from the government program, in conjunction with the IMF, of privatization, deregulation, and fiscal stabilization. The economy now is oriented more toward manufacturing and services compared with agriculture. The sizable trade deficits are in the main covered by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans abroad.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 750,000 kW production: 2.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 408 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.755 (December 1995), 8.755 (1995), 8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993), 9.170 (1992), 8.080 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: coffee, sugarcane, shrimp partners: US, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Germany

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.6 billion (December 1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $11.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$1,950 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

6.3% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption

Imports [time series]

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Germany

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

7.6% (1993)

Industries [time series]

food processing, beverages, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, textiles, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.4% (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.7 million (1982 est.) by occupation: agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.7% (1993)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 21,040 sq km land area: 20,720 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April)

Coastline [time series]

307 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Irrigated land [time series]

1,200 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 27% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 29% forest and woodland: 6% other: 30%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources [time series]

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

San Salvador

Constitution [time series]

20 December 1983

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Ana Cristina SOL chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671, 9672 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994) and Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) were elected for five-year terms by universal suffrage; election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA March 1999); results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%; because no candidate received a majority, a run-off election was held 24 April 1994; results - Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65% cabinet: Council of Ministers

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[503] 278-6011

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International organization participation [time series]

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)) [time series]

elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA March 1997); results - ARENA 46.4%, FMLN 25.0%, PDC 21.4%, PCN 4.8%, other 2.4%; seats - (84 total) ARENA 39, FMLN 21, PDC 18, PCN 4, other 2

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

labor organizations: Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; United Workers Front (FUT) business organizations: Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Republican Alliance (ARENA), Juan Jose DOMENECH, president; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren (aka Leonel GONZALEZ), general coordinator; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ronal UMANA, secretary general; National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general; Democratic Convergence (CD), Juan Jose MARTEL, secretary general; Unity Movement, Jorge MARTINEZ Menendez, president note: newly formed parties not yet officially recognized by the

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch (Supreme Electoral Tribunal) [time series]

Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), Kirio Waldo SALGADO, founder; Social Democratic Party (breakaway from FMLN), Joaquin VILLALOBOS, founder; Social Christian Renovation Movement (MRSC) (breakaway from PDC), Abraham RODRIGUEZ, founder

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Alan H. FLANIGAN embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 38% (male 1,137,804; female 1,097,774) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,627,519; female 1,716,261) 65 years and over: 5% (male 115,973; female 133,656) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

28.3 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mestizo 94%, Indian 5%, white 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

31.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.88 years male: 65.44 years female: 72.5 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Net migration rate [time series]

-4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

5,828,987 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.81% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 75% 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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.2 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 73 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 48 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 21 (1995 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 12,251 km paved: 1,740 km (including 107 km of expressways) unpaved: 10,511 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports [time series]

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Railways [time series]

total: 602 km (single track; note - some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity) narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

Rio Lempa partially navigable