Chapter 58
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 El Salvador
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)
Total renewable water resources:
25.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%) per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)
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 El Salvador
Population:
7,066,403 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 1,291,147/female 1,237,453) 15-64 years: 59% (male 1,987,671/female 2,179,620) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 162,100/female 208,412) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.2 years male: 21.1 years female: 23.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.679% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.06 years male: 68.45 years female: 75.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.04 children born/woman (2008 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.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Government El Salvador
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez 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 Albanez 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 (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; 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]
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 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
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), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, 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: 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3763 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington (DC), Woodbridge (Virginia), Woodstock (Georgia)
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; 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450 telephone: [503] 2501-2999 FAX: [503] 2501-2150
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 El Salvador
Economy - overview:
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent years. Robust growth in non-traditional exports have offset declines in the maquila exports, while remittances and external aid offset the trade deficit from high oil prices and strong import demand for consumer and intermediate goods. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador 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 through tax incentives. 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. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$41.63 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.37 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.8% industry: 30.8% services: 58.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
2.913 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 19% industry: 23% services: 58% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.2% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.7% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 38.8% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52.4 (2002)
Investment (gross fixed):
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $3.659 billion expenditures: $3.709 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
37.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA
Stock of money:
$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$764.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$9.729 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
3.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.338 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.426 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports:
8.64 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
11.08 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
44,330 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,963 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
45,210 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.119 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.035 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
Exports - partners:
US 51%, Guatemala 13.6%, Honduras 11.2%, Nicaragua 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$8.108 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners:
US 35.7%, Mexico 9.8%, Guatemala 8.5%, China 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$267.6 million of which $55 million from US (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$9.574 billion (December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$5.918 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$384 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$3.623 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
Communications El Salvador
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.08 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.137 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2007 mobile-cellular density stood at nearly 90 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:
2.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (1997)
Televisions:
600,000 (1990)
Internet country code:
.sv
Internet hosts:
11,434 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)
Internet users:
700,000 (2006)
Transportation El Salvador
Airports:
65 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 48 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Railways:
total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2007)
Roadways:
total: 10,886 km paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)
Waterways:
Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco
Military El Salvador
Military branches:
Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; service obligation - 8 months, but 11 months for officers and NCOs (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,634,816 females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,168,406 females age 16-49: 1,519,375 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 73,915 female: 71,252 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
5% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues El Salvador
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
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Equatorial Guinea
Introduction Equatorial Guinea
Background:
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
Geography Equatorial Guinea
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline:
296 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Land use:
arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
26 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%) per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
insular and continental regions widely separated
People Equatorial Guinea
Population:
616,459 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 131,696/female 127,253) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 162,458/female 169,445) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 11,394/female 14,213) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.9 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.732% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 83.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 84.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.23 years male: 60.36 years female: 62.13 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.16 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,900 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
370 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups:
Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)
Religions:
nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Languages:
Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 93.4% female: 80.5% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2003)
Government Equatorial Guinea
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Malabo geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Independence:
12 October 1968 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Constitution:
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995
Legal system:
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008); cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
Legislative branch: