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El Salvador

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El Salvador (Spanish for "The Savior") is a republic in Central America with a population of approximately 6.7 million people. The country is the most densely populated state on the American mainland and the most industrialised in Central America.

República de El Salvador
File:El salvador flag large.png File:El Salvador coa.gif
(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: Dios, Unión, Libertad
(Spanish: God, Union, Liberty)
Official language Spanish
Capital San Salvador
Capital's coordinates 13°40′N 89°10′W / 13.667°N 89.167°W / 13.667; -89.167
Largest City San Salvador
President Antonio Saca
Area
 - Total
 - % water		 Ranked 149th
21,040 km²
1.5%
Population
 - Total (Year)
 - Density 		Ranked 97th
6,704,932
318.7/km²
GDP (PPP)
 - Total (Year)
 - GDP/head 		Ranked 91th
31.17 billion $
$4,600
Currency US dollar ($) and Salvadoran colón
Time zone UTC -6
Independence From Spain: September 15, 1821

From the Central American Federation: 1842

National anthem Saludemos la Patria orgullosos
Internet TLD .sv
Calling Code 503

History

Main article: History of El Salvador

El Salvador obtained its independence from Spain on September 15, 1821 and the Central American Federation in 1839.

In 1930 General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, who took power through a coup d'etat. Soon after, in 1932 now President Martinez repressed a revolt consisting of farmers and natives in the Western part of the country. Now known as the Communist Slaughter of 1932, the revolt was conducted by the newly formed Communist Party, and its leader Agustín Farabundo Martí. It left more than 20,000 people dead, and marked the beginning of a series of military dictatorships in El Salvador, that would finalize in 1979 with a coup d'etat to then leader, General Romero of the Partido de Conciliación Nacional (PCN).

In 1969 a brief war, known as the Football War, took place with Honduras over the eviction of Salvadoran illegal immigrants living in the Honduran countryside, and to a lesser degree over the heated World Cup qualifying series taking place between the two countries.

A civil war, that lasted 12 years (1980-1992) and that was seen by some as the result of one of the non-declared confrontations of the Cold War and by others as part of the enormous social and political discrepancies left by previous governments, cost the lives of approximately 75,000 people, most of them at the hands of government supported groups known as Death Squads. The war finalized in 1992 when the rebels of the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), consisting mainly of five extreme left groups, and the government of then President Alfredo Cristiani of the extreme right party Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA), signed "Peace accords" on January 16, 1992 that assured political and military reforms, but did not expound on the social aspect.

El Salvador is known for the many earthquakes that occur within its borders. Its is known popularly as the “Valley of the Hammocks” since colonial times. On January 13, 2001 an earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale caused a landslide that killed more than 800 people. On February 13, 2001 a second earthquake killed 255 people.

The population density is high. The highest concentration of people is found in the capital, San Salvador.

Politics

Main article: Politics of El Salvador, Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, List of political parties in El Salvador

El Salvador is a democratic republic governed by a president and an 84-member unicameral Legislative Assembly. The president is elected by universal suffrage and serves for a 5-year term by absolute majority vote. A second round runoff is required in the event that no candidate receives more than 50% of the first round vote. Members of the assembly (called "deputies", or diputados), also elected by universal suffrage, serve for three-year terms. The country has an independent judiciary and Supreme Court.

The current President of El Salvador is Elías Antonio Saca González. He was elected president on 21 March 2004 and took office on 1 June 2004. His presidential term ends on 1 June 2009.

The current legal system of El Salvador, based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law came into force with the passage of the constitution on December 23, 1983.

Geography

File:El salvador sm04.png
Map of El Salvador

Main article: Geography of El Salvador

It is the smallest Central American country (roughly the size of the U.S. state of Massachusetts) and the only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea. El Salvador is located between the North Pacific Ocean to the south and southwest, with Guatemala in the north-northwest and Honduras to the north-northeast. The climate is tropical. The country experiences a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. Mostly mountainous with narrow coastal belt and central fertile volcanic plateau it is known as the "Land of the volcanoes", and has been victim to repeated seismic and volcanic acticity thourghout its history.

Natural resources include hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, and arable land.

The most important cities are:

Political divisions

The early post colonial rulers, such as Francisco Morazán and Gerardo Barrios, were of French descent and hence sympathetic to the Napoleonic code, which was successfully adapted to El Salvador. For this reason, the country has French style territorial divisions. El Salvador is divided into 14 departments:

  1. Ahuachapán
  2. Cabañas
  3. Chalatenango
  4. Cuscatlán
  5. La Libertad
  6. La Paz
  7. La Unión
  1. Morazán
  2. San Miguel
  3. San Salvador
  4. San Vicente
  5. Santa Ana
  6. Sonsonate
  7. Usulután

Economy

Main article: Economy of El Salvador

El Salvador has an economy based on of coffee and other cultivated goods. El Salvador's poor economy suffers from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, and low world coffee prices. On the bright side, in recent years inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially. The substantial trade deficit has been offset by remittances from the large number of Salvadorans living abroad who fled military repression and economic stagnation, and from external aid.

As of December 1999, net international reserves equaled $1.8 billion or roughly 5 months of imports. Having this hard currency buffer to work with, the Salvadoran Government undertook a "monetary integration plan" beginning January 1, 2001, by which the U.S. dollar became legal tender alongside the colón.

Demographics

Chart of El Salvador's population between 1961 and 2003 (figures taken from the FAO, 2005). Population in millions.

Main article: Demographics of El Salvador

El Salvador's population numbers about 6.2 million; almost 90% is of mixed Amerindian and Spanish extraction. About 1% is indigenous; very few Indians have retained their customs and traditions.

The country's people are largely Roman Catholic -- though Protestant groups are growing -- and Spanish is the language spoken by virtually all inhabitants. The capital city of San Salvador has about 1.8 million people; an estimated 42% of El Salvador's population live in rural areas.

According to the most recent United Nations survey life expectancy for men was 68 years, and 74 years for women.

Culture

Main article: Culture of El Salvador, Music of El Salvador

A small part of the population speaks Nahua, the native language. The Roman Catholic religion played an important role in the Salvadorenian culture. Painting, ceramics and textile articles are the main manual artistic expressions. We could also name the writers Francisco Gavidia (1863-1955) and Manlio Argueta, and the poet Roque Dalton among the most important artists from El Salvador.

Holidays
DateEnglish NameLocal NameRemarks
March/AprilHoly WeekSemana SantaCelebrated with carnival-like events in different cities by the large Catholic population
May 1 Labor DayDía de los trabajadoresInternational Labour Day
May 10 Mother's DayDía de la Madre
September 15Independence DayDía de la IndependenciaCelebrates independence from Spain, achieved in 1821
October 12Race DayDía de la RazaThis day comemorates the discovery of the Americas
November 2Day of the DeadDía de los Difuntos
December 25Christmas DayNavidadProhibited for decades in revolutionary Cuba, the Christmas celebration (and the corresponding holiday) was reinstalled in 1998 after Pope John Paul II visited Cuba

Miscellaneous topics

Government sites

Salvadoran Newspapers

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