El Salvador
Official Country Name
El Salvador
El Salvador Overview
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 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 strenthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 15% 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.
El Salvador Location
El Salvador is located in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Region
El Salvador is located in Central America
El Salvador Population
El Salvador has population of 6,822,378 (July 2006 est.)
El Salvador Climate
El Salvador has tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
El Salvador Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
El Salvador Natural Resources
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Ethnic Groups in El Salvador
El Salvador has the following ethnic groups - mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
El Salvador 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
El Salvador Languages
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
El Salvador Capital
El Salvador capital is San Salvador
El Salvador Currency
El Salvador currency is US dollar
Map of El Salvador
