What are some interesting facts of El Salvador?

Question

What are some interesting facts of El Salvador?

Answer 1

El Salvador has Dense jungles, coastal areas, diverse urban cities, tranquil farm towns, and a diverse Eco system with many endemic bird populations. It holds 20% of the world's bird population.

It manages to do all of this in a country smaller than the state of Massachusetts.

Education is mandatory up to 9th grade, and people age 10 and older can read and write.

Here's more detailed info:

                        El Salvador  

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.  

  

Geography  

Location:  

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

Geographic coordinates:  

13 50 N, 88 55 W  

Map references:  

Central America and the Caribbean  

Area:    

total: 21,040 sq km

land: 20,720 sq km

water: 320 sq km  

Area - comparative:  

slightly smaller than Massachusetts  

Land boundaries:  

total: 545 km

border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km  

Coastline:  

307 km  

Maritime claims:  

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm  

Climate:  

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

Terrain:  

mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau  

Elevation extremes:  

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m  

Natural resources:  

hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land  

Land use:  

arable land: 31.37%

permanent crops: 11.88%

other: 56.75% (2005)  

Irrigated land:  

450 sq km (2003)  

Natural hazards:  

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

Environment - current issues:  

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

Environment - international agreements:  

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea  

Geography - note:  

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

  

People    

Population:    

6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)  

Age structure:  

0-14 years: 36.3% (male 1,265,080/female 1,212,216)

15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,900,372/female 2,092,251)

65 years and over: 5.2% (male 156,292/female 196,167) (2006 est.)  

Median age:  

total: 21.8 years

male: 20.7 years

female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)  

Population growth rate:  

1.72% (2006 est.)  

Birth rate:    

26.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)  

Death rate:    

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)  

Net migration rate:  

-3.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)  

s*x ratio:  

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)  

Infant mortality rate:    

total: 24.39 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 27.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)  

Life expectancy at birth:    

total population: 71.49 years

male: 67.88 years

female: 75.28 years (2006 est.)  

Total fertility rate:    

3.12 children born/woman (2006 est.)  

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:    

0.7% (2003 est.)  

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:    

29,000 (2003 est.)  

HIV/AIDS - deaths:    

2,200 (2003 est.)  

Nationality:  

noun: Salvadorean(s)

adjective: Salvadorean  

Ethnic groups:  

mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%  

Religions:  

Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%

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  

Languages:  

Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)  

Literacy:  

definition: age 10 and over can read and write

total population: 80.2%

male: 82.8%

female: 77.7% (2003 est.)  

  

Government    

Country name:  

conventional 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:  

name: San Salvador

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)  

Administrative divisions:  

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  

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  

Suffrage:  

18 years of age; universal  

Executive branch:  

chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president

elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)

election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%  

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 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2  

Judicial branch:  

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)  

Political parties and leaders:  

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER, secretary general]; Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ, coordinator general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo, coordinator general]  

Political pressure groups and leaders:  

labor organizations - 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 c**s; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI  

International organization participation:  

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO  

Diplomatic representation in the US:  

chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez

chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] [phone]

FAX: [1] [phone]

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC

consulate(s): Boston  

Diplomatic representation from the US:  

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER

embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023

telephone: [503] 2278-4444

FAX: [503] 2278-5522  

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    

  

The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 16% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.  

GDP (purchasing power parity):    

$33.2 billion (2006 est.)  

GDP (official exchange rate):  

$16.97 billion (2005 est.)  

GDP - real growth rate:    

4.2% (2005 est.)  

GDP - per capita (PPP):    

$4,900 (2006 est.)  

GDP - composition by sector:  

agriculture: 9.7%

industry: 29.6%

services: 60.7% (2006 est.)  

Labor force:    

2.856 million (2006 est.)  

Labor force - by occupation:  

agriculture: 17.1%

industry: 17.1%

services: 65.8% (2003 est.)  

Unemployment rate:    

6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.)  

Population below poverty line:  

35.2% (2005 est.)  

Household income or consumption by percentage share:  

lowest 10%: 0.67%

highest 10%: 38.76% (2002)  

Distribution of family income - Gini index:  

52.5 (2001)  

Inflation rate (consumer prices):    

4.9% (2006 est.)  

Investment (gross fixed):    

16.2% of GDP (2006 est.)  

Budget:  

revenues: $2.82 billion

expenditures: $2.94 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.)  

Public debt:    

42.6% of GDP (2006)  

Agriculture - products:  

coffee, sugar, 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:    

2% (2006 est.)  

Electricity - production:    

5.293 billion kWh (2006)  

Electricity - consumption:    

5.204 billion kWh (2006)  

Electricity - exports:  

95.5 million kWh (2006)  

Electricity - imports:  

11.2 million kWh (2006)  

Oil - production:    

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)  

Oil - consumption:    

43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)  

Oil - exports:    

NA bbl/day  

Oil - imports:    

NA bbl/day  

Natural gas - production:    

0 cu m (2004 est.)  

Natural gas - consumption:    

0 cu m (2004 est.)  

Current account balance:    

$-1.059 billion (2006 est.)  

Exports:    

$3.686 billion (2006 est.)  

Exports - commodities:  

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity  

Exports - partners:  

US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2% (2005)  

Imports:    

$7.326 billion (2006 est.)  

Imports - commodities:  

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

Imports - partners:  

US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005)  

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:    

$1.951 billion (2006 est.)  

Debt - external:    

$8.841 billion (30 June 2006 est.)  

Economic aid - recipient:  

$127.5 million of which, $55 million from US (2005)  

Currency (code):  

US dollar (USD)  

Exchange rates:  

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001  

Fiscal year:  

calendar year  

  

Communications    

Telephones - main lines in use:    

971,500 (2005)  

Telephones - mobile cellular:    

2.412 million (2005)  

Telephone system:  

general assessment: NA

domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System  

Radio broadcast stations:  

AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)  

Television broadcast stations:  

5 (1997)  

Internet country code:  

.sv  

Internet hosts:    

4,682 (2006)  

Internet users:    

637,100 (2005)  

  

Transportation    

Airports:    

75 (2006)  

Airports - with paved runways:  

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)  

Airports - with unpaved runways:  

total: 71

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 56 (2006)  

Heliports:  

1 (2006)  

Railways:    

total: 562 km

narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge

note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)  

Roadways:    

total: 10,886 km

paved: 2,827 km

unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)  

Waterways:    

Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)  

Ports and terminals:  

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco  

  

Military    

Military branches:  

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)  

Military service age and obligation:  

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)  

Manpower available for military service:  

males age 18-49: 1,391,278

females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)  

Manpower fit for military service:  

males age 18-49: 960,315

females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)  

Manpower reaching military service age annually:  

males age 18-49: 70,286

females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)  

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:    

0.6% (2006 est.)  

  

Transnational Issues    

Disputes - international:  

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca  

Illicit drugs:  

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

Answer 2

Had a civil war which lasted 12 years (1980-1992). Peace Accords were signed in Mexico on January 16, 1992

Its the smallest country in Central America (slightly smaller than the US state of Massachusetts)

Despite its small size, it has the third largest economy in Central America

El Salvador's offical language is Spanish

Its the only Latin American country that has troops in Iraq

It has used the US dollar as its main currency since 2001

Prior to this El Salvador's currency was the Colon

The Colon is/was worth 8.75 for ever 1 US dollar

The country's minumum wage is US$120-150 a month

It's made up of 14 States/Departments

It's the only Central American country that does not have a Caribbean coastline

The biggest Shopping centre in all of of Central America is located in El Salvador's capital, San Salvador

It was involved in an infamous 100 hour war with neighbouring Honduras in 1969, after a soccer game

It has a total of 21 Volcanos

One of these Volcanos had a minor eruption on October 1, 2005. Spewing up clouds of ash and rocks, its effect reached nearby villages and caused two deaths

El Salvador has the largest airport in all of Central America

Gained its independace from Spain on September 15, 1821

Is frequently hit by earthqakes, the last big one being on January 13, 2001. Earthquake was marked at 7.6 on the Richter Scale

Is part of CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) which has trade with the USA

Has some of the best surfing beaches in the world

90% of Salvadorans are mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish/European)

Oliver Stone directed a movie called "Salvador" and focus on its 12 year Civil war. The movie is critically acclaimed as one of Stone's best, and was nominated for an Oscar

Many Salvadoreans have fled for various reasons to the United States. Its estimated that around 2-3 million live in the US

Its the most densely populated country in all of the Americas

Unlike many countries that have four season ever year, El Salvador only has 2. The wet and dry seasons, which run from May to October and November to April, respectively

Many notable Salvadorean people are from Palastinan decent

The country name, El Salvador, literally means "the savoir" in spanish

El Salvador is part of what was the Mayan Empire. The Mayan Empire didn't go any further south after El Salvador

It has many Mayan and Pipil ruins including some pyramids

El Salvador's national dish is called a "Pupusa"

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Hope thats the kind of information your looking for :)

If you are looking for more detailed information, here are some sites that you might like to visit:

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/fac...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/svtoc.html

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107489.h...

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El Salvador is a great country, its good to see people showing an interest :)

And remember, for all the bad things you hear about the country, there are many more good things, the media just likes to make a big deal out of nothing.

Take Care and God Bless

*And if you have any more questions on El Salvador, please dont hesitate to email me :)

Answer 3

Disregard  the previous answer. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. El Salvador has many beaches and rivers. The water is very warm. El Salvador's currency is the US dollar. Several Salvadorian soldiers are fighting in the Iraqui war. A lot of fair skinned, blond people live in a  small city named Chalantenango.

Answer 4

Please check the following website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador