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.

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

13 50 N, 88 55 W

Central America and the Caribbean

about the same size as New Jersey

307 km

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

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

arable land 33.1%; permanent crops 10.9%; permanent pasture 30.7%

452 sq km (2012)

known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

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

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

6,172,011 (July 2017 est.)

mestizo 86.3%, white 12.7%, Amerindian 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

Spanish (official), Nawat (among some Amerindians)

Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 36%, other 2%, none 12% (2014 est.)

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.

Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.

0.25% (2017 est.)

16.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

-8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador

SAN SALVADOR (capital) 1.098 million (2015)

20.8 years

54 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

1.87 children born/woman (2017 est.)

72% (2014)

6.8% of GDP (2014)

1.92 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2012)

urban: 97.5% of population

rural: 86.5% of population

total: 93.8% of population

urban: 2.5% of population

rural: 13.5% of population

total: 6.2% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 82.4% of population

rural: 60% of population

total: 75% of population

urban: 17.6% of population

rural: 40% of population

total: 25% of population (2015 est.)

0.6% (2016 est.)

24,000 (2016 est.)

<1000 (2016 est.)

24.6% (2016)

5% (2014)

3.4% of GDP (2014)

presidential republic

14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)

civil law system with minor common law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court

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

18 years of age; universal

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo Antonio PARKER Soto]

Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico) or CD [Douglas AVILES] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU)

Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]

Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Jose Andres ROVIRA Caneles]

National Coalition Party or PCN [Manuel RODRIGUEZ]

Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Mauricio INTERIANO]

Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES

Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport, and other activities or FESINCONTRANS

National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS

National Trade Union Federation of Salvadoran Workers or FENASTRAS

National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS

Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES

Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS

Union of Judiciary Workers or SITTOJ

Union of Workers of the Ministry of the Treasury or SITRAMI

Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL

American Chamber of Commerce in El Salvador

National Association of Private Enterprise or ANEP

Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce or SACOC

Salvadoran Chamber of the Construction Industry or CASALCO

Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity

turquoise-browed motmot (bird); national colors: blue, white

The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the fourth largest economy in the region. With the global recession, real GDP contracted in 2009 and economic growth has since remained low, averaging less than 2% from 2010 to 2014, but recovered somewhat in 2015-16 with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. Remittances accounted for approximately 17.1% of GDP in 2016 and were received by about a third of all households.

In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. In September 2015, El Salvador kicked off a five-year $277 million second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation - a US Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty - to improve El Salvador's competitiveness and productivity in international markets.

The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during post-war reconstruction and rebuilding following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005, but El Salvador's public debt, estimated at 61.1% of GDP in 2016, has been growing over the last several years. Total external debt was nearly 60% of GDP in 2016.

$54.67 billion (2016 est.)

$52.73 billion (2015 est.)

$51 billion (2014 est.)

$26.8 billion (2016 est.)

2.4% (2016 est.)

2.3% (2015 est.)

1.4% (2014 est.)

$8,600 (2016 est.)

$8,500 (2015 est.)

$8,300 (2014 est.)

11.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

10.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

8.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products

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

2.2% (2016 est.)

2.76 million (2016 est.)

7% (2016 est.)

5.6% (2015 est.)

34.9% (2015 est.)

37 (2015 est.)

38 (2014)

20.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

-2.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

65.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

63.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

0.6% (2016 est.)

-0.9% (2015 est.)

6.37% (31 December 2016 est.)

6.17% (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.129 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$3.253 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$11.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$11.61 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$13.71 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$13.28 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$4.4 billion (December 2016 est.)

$3.816 billion (December 2015 est.)

$3.535 billion (December 2014 est.)

$-531 million (2016 est.)

$-926.1 million (2015 est.)

$4.186 billion (2016 est.)

$4.381 billion (2015 est.)

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, textiles and apparel, ethanol, chemicals, electricity, iron and steel manufactures

US 48.3%, Honduras 14.2%, Guatemala 13.5%, Nicaragua 6.5%, Costa Rica 4.7% (2016)

$8.823 billion (2016 est.)

$9.384 billion (2015 est.)

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

US 37.9%, Guatemala 10.2%, China 8.8%, Mexico 7.6%, Honduras 6.3% (2016)

$3.238 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.787 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$15.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$15.03 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$10.31 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$10.03 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.111 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.026 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

5.482 billion kWh (2016 est.)

6.351 billion kWh (2016)

74.3 million kWh (2016 est.)

1.066 billion kWh (2016 est.)

1.792 million kW (2016 est.)

51.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

25.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

25.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

220 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

46,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

224.8 bbl/day (2014 est.)

45,540 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2016 est.)

0 cu m (2016 est.)

0 cu m (2016 est.)

0 cu m (2016 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2016 es)

4.318 million Mt (2015 est.)

multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and 1 government-owned radio broadcast station; transition to digital transmission to begin in 2018 along with adaptation of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2017)

.sv

YS (2016)

68 (2013)

2 (2013)

(Rio Lempa River is partially navigable by small craft) (2011)

0.87% of GDP (2016)

0.95% of GDP (2015)

0.93% of GDP (2014)

0.98% of GDP (2013)

0.94% of GDP (2012)

Salvadoran Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Salvadoran Army (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Salvadoran Navy (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2017)

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2012)