El Salvador area: | 21,040sq km (8124sq mi) |
population: | 6,076,800 |
capital (population): | San Salvador (496,000) |
government: | Republic |
ethnic groups: | Mestizo 89%, Native American 10%, White 1% |
languages: | Spanish (official) |
religions: | Christianity (Roman Catholic 94%) |
currency: | Colón = 100 centavos |
Republic in Central America. El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It has a narrow coastal plain along the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the interior is mountainous with many extinct volcanic peaks, overlooking a heavily populated central plateau. Earthquakes are common; in 1854, an earthquake destroyed the capital,
San Salvador. In October 1986, another earthquake killed 400 people and caused widespread damage.
Climate
The coast has a hot tropical climate. Inland, the climate is moderated by altitude. There is a wet season between May and October.
Vegetation
Grassland and some virgin forests of original oak and pine are found in the highlands. The central plateau and valleys have areas of grass and deciduous woodland, while tropical savanna or forest cover the coastal regions.
History and Politics
In 1524–26, the Spanish explorer Pedro de Alvarado conquered Native American tribes such as the Pipil, and the region became part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Guatemala. Independence was achieved in 1821, and in 1823 El Salvador joined the Central American Federation. The federation dissolved in 1839. El Salvador declared independence in 1841, but was continually subject to foreign interference (especially from Guatemala and Nicaragua). El Salvador's coffee plantations developed at this time.
Following a collapse in the world coffee market, Maximiliano Hernández Martínez seized power in a palace coup (1931). In 1944 a general strike (1944) overthrew his brutal dictatorship. After a period of progressive government, a military junta headed by Julio Adalberto Rivera (1962–67) and Fidel Sánchez Hernández (1967–72) seized power. Honduras' discriminatory immigration laws exacerbated tension on the border between the two countries. The ‘Soccer War’ (1969) broke out following an ill-tempered World Cup qualifying match. Within four days, El Salvador captured much of Honduras. A ceasefire occurred and the troops withdrew. In the 1970s, the repressive National Republican Alliance (ARENA) regime compounded El Salvador's problems of overpopulation, unequal distribution of wealth, and social unrest. Civil war broke out in 1979 between US-backed government forces and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front
(FMLN). The 12-year war claimed 75,000 lives and caused mass homelessness. A cease-fire came into effect in 1992, and the FMLN became a recognized political party. In 1993 a UN Truth Commission led to the removal of senior army officers for human rights abuses, and the decommissioning of FMLN arms. Armando Calderón Sol of the ruling ARENA party became president in 1994 elections. Francisco Flores succeeded him in 1999. In 2001, massive earthquakes killed 1200 people and left one million homeless.
Economy
El Salvador is a lower-middle-income developing country (2000 GDP per capita, US$4000). Farmland and pasture account for
c.60% of land use. El Salvador is the world's 10th largest producer of coffee. Its reliance on the crop caused profound economic structural imbalance. Sugar and cotton grow on the coastal lowlands. Fishing is important, but manufacturing is on a small scale. The civil war devastated the economy. Between 1993 and 1995, El Salvador received more than US$100 million of credit from the IMF.
Political map
Physical map
Websites
http://www.elsalvador.org/home.nsf/home
