CIA World Fact Book, 2004/El Salvador


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!| Background:
 * 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.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 320 sq km land: 20,720 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 12.07% other: 56.08% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea !| Geography - note:
 * Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
 * 13 50 N, 88 55 W
 * Central America and the Caribbean
 * total: 21,040 sq km
 * slightly smaller than Massachusetts
 * total: 545 km
 * 307 km
 * territorial sea: 200 nm
 * 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
 * lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
 * hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
 * arable land: 31.85%
 * 360 sq km (1998 est.)
 * known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
 * deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
 * party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
 * smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,819,035; female 2,009,032) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 150,221; female 186,241) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 20.2 years female: 22.5 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 67.31 years female: 74.7 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Salvadoran !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: 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: !| Literacy: total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
 * 6,587,541 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 36.8% (male 1,237,262; female 1,185,750)
 * total: 21.4 years
 * 1.78% (2004 est.)
 * 27.48 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * -3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 25.93 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 70.92 years
 * 3.2 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.7% (2003 est.)
 * 29,000 (2003 est.)
 * 2,200 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Salvadoran(s)
 * mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
 * Roman Catholic 83%
 * Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
 * definition: age 10 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: El Salvador local short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA (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 cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held NA March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8% !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-5522 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
 * republic
 * San Salvador
 * 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
 * 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
 * Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
 * 23 December 1983
 * 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
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA (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
 * unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)
 * Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)
 * Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; United Democratic Center or CDU [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]
 * 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 CNTS; 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
 * BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
 * chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 31.2% services: 59.3% (2003) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 39.3% (2001) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $2.625 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. GDP per capita is roughly only half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living abroad and external aid. The government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy.
 * purchasing power parity - $30.99 billion (2003 est.)
 * 1.4% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 9.4%
 * 16.2% of GDP (2003)
 * 48% (1999 est.)
 * lowest 10%: 1.4%
 * 52.2 (1998)
 * 2.1% (2003 est.)
 * 2.62 million (2003)
 * agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)
 * 6.5% - but the economy has much underemployment (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $2.434 billion
 * 43.7% of GDP (2003)
 * coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products
 * food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
 * 1.6% (2003 est.)
 * 3.729 billion kWh (2001)
 * 3.777 billion kWh (2001)
 * 44 million kWh (2001)
 * 353 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * $-734 million (2003)
 * $3.162 billion (2003 est.)
 * offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
 * US 67.8%, Guatemala 11.5%, Honduras 5.9% (2003)
 * $5.466 billion (2003 est.)
 * raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
 * US 50%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 5.5% (2003)
 * $2.061 billion (2003)
 * $6.575 billion (2003 est.)
 * total $252 million; $57 million from US (1995)
 * US dollar (USD)
 * USD
 * the US dollar is the legal tender
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: 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: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 752,600 (2003)
 * 1,149,800 (2003)
 * general assessment: NA
 * AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)
 * 2.75 million (1997)
 * 5 (1997)
 * 600,000 (1990)
 * .sv
 * 4,084 (2003)
 * 4 (2000)
 * 550,000 (2003)
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!| Railways: narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2003) !| Highways: paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.) !| Waterways: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.) !| Heliports:
 * total: 283 km
 * total: 10,029 km
 * Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)
 * Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo
 * none
 * 73 (2003 est.)
 * total: 4
 * total: 69
 * 1 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force
 * 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)
 * males age 15-49: 1,571,299 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 995,672 (2004 est.)
 * males: 69,993 (2004 est.)
 * $157 million (2003)
 * 1.1% (2003)
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