Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. Since 1980 a civil war has cost the lives of thousands of people.

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 307 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea:200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond 12 nm)

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

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Natural resources: hydropower and geothermal power, crude oil

Land use: 27% arable land; 8% permanent crops; 29% meadows and pastures; 6% forest and woodland; 30% other; includes 5% irrigated

Geography
Note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea geoad0.gif" border="0" geoad1

Population: 5,124,931 (July 1989), growth rate 1.8% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Salvadoran(s; adjective - Salvadoran

Ethnic groups: 89% mestizo, 10% Indian, 1% white

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)

Religions: about 97% Roman Catholic, with activity by Protestant groups throughout the country

Birth rate: 33 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Environment
Current issues: The Land of Volcanoes; subject to frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Infant mortality rate: 62 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 58 years male, 67 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 4.0 children born/woman (1989)

Literacy: 65%

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of 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

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 20 December 1983

Legal system: based on Spanish law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Alfredo CRISTIANI (since 1 June 1989; Vice President Jose Francisco MERINO (since 1 June 1989;

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police, Treasury Police

International organization participation: CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, IWC - International Wheat Council, OAS, ODECA, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Ernesto RIVAS-GALLONT; Chancery at 2,308 California Street NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 265-3,480 through 3,482; there are Salvadoran Consulates General in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco, US - Ambassador William G. WALKER; Embassy at 25 Avenida Norte No. 1230, San Salvador (mailing address is APO Miami 34,023; telephone Õ503å 26-7,100

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

Economy overview: The economy experienced a modest recovery during the period 1983-86, after a sharp decline in the early 1980s. Real GDP grew by 1.5% a year on the strength of value added by the manufacturing and service sectors. In 1987 the economy expanded by 2.5% as agricultural output recovered from the 1986 drought. The agricultural sector accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 40% of the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the major commercial crop, contributing 60% to export earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 17% of GDP and 15% of employment. Rates of inflation and unemployment are both high at about 20% and 30%, respectively, and real GDP in 1987 was about two-thirds of its 1978 level.

Agriculture products: coffee, cotton, corn, sugar, beans, rice, sorghum, wheat

Industries: food processing, textiles, clothing, petroleum products, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (1987 est.)

Labor force: 1,700,000 (1982 est.), 40% agriculture, 16% manufacturing, 16% commerce, 13% government, 9% financial services, 6% transportation; shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled labor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (1986 est.)

Budget: revenues $518 million; expenditures $642 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1987 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $577 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: coffee 60%, sugar, cotton, shrimp
Partners: US 49%, FRG 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%

Imports: $961 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: petroleum products, consumer goods, foodstuffs, machinery, construction materials, fertilizer; partners - US 40%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 7%, FRG 5%, Japan 4%

Debt external: $1.8 billion (December 1988)

Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 5.0000 (fixed rate since 1986)

Electricity
Capacity: 669,000 kW capacity; 1,813 million kWh produced, 350 kWh per capita (1988)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $160.7 million, NA% of central government budget (FY88)

Airports: 130 total, 88 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable

Disputes international: several sections of the boundary with Honduras are in dispute