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, geothermal power, crude oil

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

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

Population: 5,418,736 (July 1991), growth rate 2.0% (1991)

Nationality: noun--Salvadoran(s; adjective--Salvadoran

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

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)

Religions: Roman Catholic about 75%, with extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country (more than 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador at the end of 1990)

Birth rate: 34 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1000 population (1991)

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

Infant mortality rate: 47 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 68 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1991)

Literacy: 73% (male 76%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

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 civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: universal at 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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Miguel Angel SALAVERRIA; 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 [503] 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 El Salvador El SalvadorEl Salvador

Economy overview: 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, accounting for 45% of export earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 18% of GDP and 15% of employment. Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage total more than $2.0 billion since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large military seriously constrain the government's efforts to provide essential social services. Nevertheless, growth in national output last year exceeded growth in population for the first time since 1987.

Agriculture products: accounts for 25% 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, textiles, clothing, beverages, petroleum, tobacco products, chemicals, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (1990; accounts for 22% of GDP

Labor force: 1,700,000 (1982 est.), agriculture 40%, commerce 16%, manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation 6%, other 1%; shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled labor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1989)

Budget: revenues $751 million; expenditures $790 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $571 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: coffee 45%, sugar, cotton, shrimp
Partners: US 49%, FRG 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
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: $2.1 billion (December 1990 est.)

Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1--8.0 (April 1991, floating rate since mid-1990; 5.0000 (fixed rate 1986 to mid-1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 682,000 kW capacity; 1,849 million kWh produced, 350 kWh per capita (1990)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $220 million, 3.6% of GDP (1990)

Airports: 116 total, 82 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable

Disputes international: dispute with Honduras over several sections of the land boundary; dispute over Golfo de Fonseca maritime boundary because of disputed sovereignty of islands