Statistical information El Salvador 1996

El Salvador in the World
top of pageBackground: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war which cost the lives of some 75,000 people was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
top of pageLocation: Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 21,040 km²
Land: 20,720 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries: Total 545 km, Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea:200 nm
Climate: Tropical; rainy season (May to October; dry season (November to April)
Terrain: Mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources:
Hydropower
Geothermal power
Petroleum
Land useArable land: 27%
Permanent crops: 8%
Permanent pastures: 29%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 30%
Irrigated land: 1,200 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
5,828,987 (July 1996 est.)
5,870,481 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:1.81% (1996 est.)
2.02% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Salvadoran(s)
Adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:
Mestizo 94%
Indian 5%
White 1%
Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)
Religions: 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
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:38% (male 1,137,804; female 1,097,774) (July 1996 est.)
40% (male 1,200,759; female 1,165,152) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:57% (male 1,627,519; female 1,716,261) (July 1996 est.)
56% (male 1,602,230; female 1,677,958) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:5% (male 115,973; female 133,656) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 102,014; female 122,368) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
1.81% (1996 est.)
2.02% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
28.3 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
32.39 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.81 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
6.19 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
-5.96 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Current issues 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
International agreements note: Smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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.) Infant Mortality Rate:31.9 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
38.9 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 68.88 years (1996 est.); 67.5 years (1995 est.)
Male: 65.44 years (1996 est.); 64.89 years (1995 est.)
Female: 72.5 years (1996 est.); 70.23 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.2 children born/woman (1996 est.)
3.69 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 71.5%
Male: 73.5%
Female: 69.8%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
Conventional short form: El Salvador
Local long form: Republica de El Salvador
Local short form: 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 20 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state and head of government: President Armando CALDERON SOL (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held 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
Legislative branch: Unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa):Elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held 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
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: 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
Diplomatic representationFlag 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
6.3% (1995 est.)
5% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita:
purchasing power parity_ $1,950 (1995 est.)
$1,710 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for 24% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including fishing and forestry; coffee most important commercial crop; other products_sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products, shrimp; not self-sufficient in food
Industries:
Food processing
Beverages
Petroleum
Nonmetallic products
Tobacco
Chemicals
Textiles
Furniture
Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 7.6% (1993)
Labor force: 1.7 million (1982 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 40%
By occupation Commerce: 16%
By occupation Manufacturing: 15%
By occupation Government: 13%
By occupation Financial services: 9%
By occupation Transportation: 6%
By occupation Other: 1%
Unemployment rate: 6.7% (1993)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $846 million
Expenditures: $890 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1992 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports:
total value. $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$823 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Coffee
Sugarcane
Shrimp
Partners:U.S.
Guatemala
Costa Rica
Germany
ImportsTotal value:$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
$2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Raw materials
Consumer goods
Capital goods
Partners:U.S.
Guatemala
Mexico
Venezuela
Germany
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.6 billion (December 1992)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: 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), 8.0300 (1990)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 750,000 kW
Production: 2.4 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 408 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 116,000 telephones (1984 est.)
Local: NA
Intercity: nationwide microwave radio relay system
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station; connected to Central American Microwave System
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $100 million, 1% of GDP (1995; $103 million, 0.7% of GDP (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 73
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 21 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 48
Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)
PipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable
Merchant marine: None
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: Transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption