El Salvador

total: 671,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)

multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio stations and 2 government-owned radio stations; transition to digital transmission was set to begin in 2018, along with adoption of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022)

.sv

percent of population: 68% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 885,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions: 11.2 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.)

sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on food: 26.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

revenues: $9.359 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.313 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

-$632.549 million (2024 est.) -$367.831 million (2023 est.) -$2.144 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$12.668 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector

the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy

$11.586 billion (2024 est.) $10.629 billion (2023 est.) $10.164 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 36%, Guatemala 17%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 8%, Costa Rica 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$35.365 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 79.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 19.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 32.8% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -51.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 4.4% (2024 est.) industry: 22.4% (2024 est.) services: 61% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

39.8 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 1.9% (2023 est.) highest 10%: 29.7% (2023 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$18.354 billion (2024 est.) $17.034 billion (2023 est.) $18.181 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

0.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

0.9% (2024 est.) 4% (2023 est.) 7.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

2.89 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

26.6% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

102.2% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$73.961 billion (2024 est.) $72.085 billion (2023 est.) $69.621 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.6% (2024 est.) 3.5% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$11,700 (2024 est.) $11,400 (2023 est.) $11,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

24% of GDP (2024 est.) 24.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 24.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$3.705 billion (2024 est.) $3.079 billion (2023 est.) $2.695 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

2.9% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 6.7% (2024 est.) male: 5.2% (2024 est.) female: 9.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

consumption: 500 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 2.803 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 6.335 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 140 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 750.096 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 770.613 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) geothermal: 24.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 14% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

24.421 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

consumption: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

total petroleum production: 3 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 56,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.745 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 948,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33% (2023 est.) other: 9.3% (2023 est.)

23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

26.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 433.229 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 94.316 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 1.411 billion cubic meters (2022)

urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.649 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.2% (2022 est.)

total : 21,041 sq km land: 20,721 sq km water: 320 sq km

about the same size as New Jersey

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

307 km

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 442 m

13 50 N, 88 55 W

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

240 sq km (2022)

total: 590 km border countries (2): Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km

agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.) arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.) forest: 33% (2023 est.) other: 9.3% (2023 est.)

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

Central America and the Caribbean

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

14 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ); Ahuachap n, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatl n, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Moraz n, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulut n

name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

history: many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983 amendment process: proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended

conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Rep blica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador etymology: means "the Savior" in Spanish and is a shortened form of "the Divine Savior of the World" (el Divino Salvador del Mundo), referring to Jesus Christ; 16th-century Spanish colonists gave the name "San Salvador" to the fort located where the country's capital of San Salvador now stands, and the name was later used for the city and the surrounding region; the country was officially named El Salvador in 1824

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires Naomi C. FELLOWS (since August 2025) embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450 telephone: [503] 2501-2999 FAX: [503] 2501-2150 email address and website: ACSSanSal@state.gov https://sv.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 595-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3763 email address and website: infoEEUU@rree.gob.sv https://rree.gob.sv/embajadas-consulados-y-misiones-permanentes-de-la-republica-de-el-salvador/ consulate(s) general: Aurora (CO), Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Doral (FL), Duluth (GA), El Paso (TX), Elizabeth (NJ), Fresno (CA), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Long Island (NY), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, Omaha (NE), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Silver Spring (MD), Springdale (AR), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Woodbridge (VA)

chief of state: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) head of government: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 4 February 2024 election results: 2024: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez reelected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (Nuevas Ideas) 84.7%, Manuel FLORES (FMLN) 6.4%, Joel SANCHEZ (ARENA) 5.6%, Luis PARADA (NT) 2%, other 1.3% 2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.7%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.4%, other 0.8% expected date of next election: 28 February 2027; note - on 31 July 2025, the Legislative Assembly voted to move the date of the next presidential election from 2029 to 2027 to bring the presidential election cycle in line with the three-year legislative and municipal election cycle note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

description: three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a round emblem with the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL around it meaning: the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land, as well as peace and prosperity history: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an "X" pattern and centered in the white band

presidential republic

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

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

ACS, 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, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed subordinate courts: Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace

civil law system with minor common law influence; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts

legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea legislativa) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 60 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 3 years most recent election date: 2/4/2024 parties elected and seats per party: New Ideas (N) (54); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 31.7% expected date of next election: February 2027

title: "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador) lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE history: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at four minutes and 20 seconds, the anthem is one of the world's longest

blue, white

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Joya de Cer n Archaeological Site

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

turquoise-browed motmot (bird)

Christian Democratic Party or PDC Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA National Coalition Party or PCN Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT Vamos or V

18 years of age; universal

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 is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs.

the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) is responsible for defending national sovereignty and ensuring territorial integrity but also has considerable domestic security responsibilities; while the National Civil Police (PNC) are responsible for maintaining public security, the country s constitution allows the president to use the FAES in exceptional circumstances to maintain internal peace and public security; in 2016, the government created a special joint unit of Army commandos and police to fight criminal gangs; more military personnel were devoted to internal security beginning in 2019 when President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat rising gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security the military led the country for much of the 20th century; from 1980 to 1992, it fought a bloody civil war against guerrillas from the Farabundo Mart National Liberation Front or FMLN, the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Revolutionary Front (Frente Democr tico Revolucionario), a coalition of left-wing dissident political groups backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union; the FAES received considerable US support during the conflict; significant human rights violations occurred during the war and approximately 75,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, were killed (2025)

The Armed Forces of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Naval Force of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza A rea Salvadore a, FAS) Ministry of Justice and Public Safety: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2025)

approximately 25,000 active FAES (2025) note: El Salvador has pledged to increase the size of the military to 40,000 troops by 2026

the FAES is lightly armed with an inventory of mostly older or secondhand arms and equipment, largely provided by the US (2025)

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (17-22 for military schools); men are subject to selective compulsory military service; service obligation up to 18 months (2025) note: in 2024, women comprised over 11% of the active military

0-14 years: 25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416) 65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400)

total: 2.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

12.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

women married by age 15: 4.3% (2021) women married by age 18: 19.7% (2021)

5% (2021 est.)

50.7% (2021 est.)

5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 29.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.)

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 15.9% national budget (2025 est.)

Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

0.68 (2025 est.)

9.7% of GDP (2021) 21.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births

Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.) male: 72.4 years female: 79.5 years

total population: 89.8% (2024 est.) male: 91.6% (2024 est.) female: 88.2% (2024 est.)

1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)

39 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 31.2 years (2025 est.) male: 28.2 years female: 31.2 years

20.8 years (2008 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

24.6% (2016)

1.62 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

total: 6,334,723 (2025 est.) male: 3,026,645 female: 3,308,078

high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador

0.34% (2025 est.)

Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 11 years (2023 est.) female: 12 years (2023 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 7.8% (2025 est.) male: 14.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.)

1.4 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

refugees: 392 (2024 est.) IDPs: 35,391 (2024 est.)

27 (2025)

YS

total: 5 (2023) by type: other 5

total ports: 3 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union

total: 12.5 km (2014) narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge