Statistical information El Salvador 1998

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 coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 21,040 km²
Land: 20,720 km²
Water: 320 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundariesTotal: 545 km
Border countries: (2) Guatemala 203 km;
, Honduras 342 kmCoastline: 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: 5%
Other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,200 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity
GeographyNote: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
top of pagePopulation: 5,752,067 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.57% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Salvadoran(s)
Adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: mestizo 94%, Amerindian 5%, white 1%
Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
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: 37% (male 1,088,579; female 1,042,087)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,575,806; female 1,748,250)
65 years and over: 5% (male 135,556; female 161,789) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.57% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 26.71 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.32 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.73 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 29.07 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 69.66 years
Male: 66.31 years
Female: 73.17 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.06 children born/woman (1998 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 can read and write
Total population: 71.5%
Male: 73.5%
Female: 69.8% (1995 est.)
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
Note: Legislative Assembly passed landmark judicial reforms in 1996
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 20 March 1994, with a run-off election held 24 April 1994 (next to be held NA March 1999)
Election results: Armando CALDERON Sol elected president; percent of vote_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 and the results were as follows_Armando CALDERON Sol (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve three-year terms)
Elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party_ARENA 35.4%, FMLN 34.3%, PCN 8.1%, PDC 7.9%, CD 3.8%, PRSC 3.4%, PLD 3.2%, MU 2.1%, PD 1.0%, other 0.8%; seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 27, PCN 9, PDC 8, PRSC 3, CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1, independent 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly
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 representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rene A. LEON
In the us chancery: 2,308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-9,671, 9,672
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
In the us consulates: Boston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
From the us embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Station Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador
From the us mailing address: Unit 3,116, APO AA 34,023
From the us telephone: [503] 278-4,444
From the us fax: [503] 278-6,011
Flag 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: In 1997 the government emphasized a fixed exchange rate, along with conservative monetary and fiscal policies to promote foreign investment. Inflation fell to an unprecedented low of 2%. Exports reached a record level and were the main engine of growth. Productivity in other sectors remained weaker, however. For the last few years, El Salvador has experienced sizable deficits in both its trade and its fiscal accounts. The trade deficit has been offset by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans living abroad and from external aid. The deficit is expected to increase in 1998 as imports continue to rise. San Salvador is stepping up its privatization efforts in 1998 to increase revenues. Late in 1997 the legislative assembly approved a privatization law that will facilitate the sale of the state-owned telephone company sometime in 1998. The government also plans to privatize pension funds later in the year.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $3,000 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 15%
Industry: 24%
Services: 61% (1997 est.)
Agriculture products: coffee, sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp
Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1997 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 2.26 million (1997 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 40%
By occupation commerce: 16%
By occupation manufacturing: 15%
By occupation government: 13%
By occupation financialservices: 9%
By occupation transportation: 6%
By occupation other: 1%
Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1997 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $1.75 billion
Expenditures: $1.82 billion, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1997 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:$1.96 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodoties: coffee, sugar; shrimp; textiles
Partners: US, Guatemala, Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras
Imports: total value:$3.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
Commodoties: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels
Partners: US, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.6 billion (yearend 1997)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 (end of period)_8.755 (January 1998-1995), 8.750 (1994), 8.670 (1993)
Note: as of 1 June 1990, the rate is based on the average of the buying and selling rates, set on a weekly basis, for official receipts and payments, imports of petroleum, and coffee exports; prior to that date, a system of floating was in effect
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 900,000 kW (1996)
Production: 3.5 billion kWh (1997)
Consumption per capita: 603 kWh (1997 est.)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 350,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $104 million (1997)
Percent of gdp: 0.9% (1997)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 88 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 66 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
PipelinesRailwaysTotal: 602 km (single track; note_some sections abandoned, unusable, or operating at reduced capacity)
Narrow gauge: 602 km 0.914-m gauge
RoadwaysWaterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable
Merchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: land boundary dispute with Honduras mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; the presidents of Honduras and El Salvador signed in January 1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the 1992 demarcated areas to choose Honduran or Salvadoran citizenship; the two countries also agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year; the agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both countries; 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
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption