314 lines
25 KiB
Plaintext
314 lines
25 KiB
Plaintext
EL SALVADOR
|
||
GEOGRAPHY
|
||
Total area: 21,040 km2; land area: 20,720 km2
|
||
|
||
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Massachusetts
|
||
|
||
Land boundaries: 545 km total; Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
|
||
|
||
Coastline: 307 km
|
||
|
||
Maritime claims:
|
||
|
||
Territorial sea: 200 nm (overflight and navigation permitted beyond
|
||
12 nm)
|
||
|
||
Disputes: dispute with Honduras over several sections of the land
|
||
boundary; dispute over Golfo de Fonseca maritime boundary because of
|
||
disputed sovereignty of islands
|
||
|
||
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
|
||
(November to April)
|
||
|
||
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
|
||
plateau
|
||
|
||
Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, crude oil
|
||
|
||
Land use: arable land 27%; permanent crops 8%; meadows and pastures
|
||
29%; forest and woodland 6%; other 30%; includes irrigated 5%
|
||
|
||
Environment: The Land of Volcanoes; subject to frequent and
|
||
sometimes very destructive earthquakes; deforestation; soil erosion;
|
||
water pollution
|
||
|
||
Note: smallest Central American country and only one without a
|
||
coastline on Caribbean Sea
|
||
|
||
PEOPLE
|
||
Population: 5,418,736 (July 1991), growth rate 2.0% (1991)
|
||
|
||
Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1991)
|
||
|
||
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
|
||
|
||
Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
|
||
|
||
Infant mortality rate: 47 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
|
||
|
||
Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 68 years female (1991)
|
||
|
||
Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1991)
|
||
|
||
Nationality: noun--Salvadoran(s); adjective--Salvadoran
|
||
|
||
Ethnic divisions: mestizo 89%, Indian 10%, white 1%
|
||
|
||
Religion: Roman Catholic about 75%, with extensive activity by
|
||
Protestant groups throughout the country (more than 1 million
|
||
Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador at the end of 1990)
|
||
|
||
Language: Spanish, Nahua (among some Indians)
|
||
|
||
Literacy: 73% (male 76%, female 70%) age 15 and over can
|
||
read and write (1990 est.)
|
||
|
||
Labor force: 1,700,000 (1982 est.); agriculture 40%, commerce 16%,
|
||
manufacturing 15%, government 13%, financial services 9%, transportation
|
||
6%, other 1%; shortage of skilled labor and a large pool of unskilled
|
||
labor, but manpower training programs improving situation (1984 est.)
|
||
|
||
Organized labor: total labor force 15%; agricultural labor force
|
||
10%; urban labor force 7% (1987 est.)
|
||
|
||
GOVERNMENT
|
||
Long-form name: Republic of El Salvador
|
||
|
||
Type: republic
|
||
|
||
Capital: San Salvador
|
||
|
||
Administrative divisions: 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
|
||
|
||
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
|
||
|
||
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; accepts
|
||
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
|
||
|
||
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
|
||
|
||
Executive branch: president, vice president, Council of Ministers
|
||
(cabinet)
|
||
|
||
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea
|
||
Legislativa)
|
||
|
||
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)
|
||
|
||
Leaders:
|
||
|
||
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Alfredo CRISTIANI
|
||
(since 1 June 1989); Vice President Jose Francisco MERINO (since 1 June
|
||
1989)
|
||
|
||
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance
|
||
(ARENA), Armando CALDERON Sol;
|
||
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Fidel CHAVEZ Mena;
|
||
National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda;
|
||
National Democratic Union (UDN), Mario AGUINADA Carranza;
|
||
the Democratic Convergence (CD) is a coalition of three
|
||
parties--the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Wilfredo BARILLAS;
|
||
the National Revolutionary Movement (MNR), Rene FLORES;
|
||
and the Popular Social Christian Movement (MPSC), Ruben ZAMORA;
|
||
Authentic Christian Movement (MAC), Julio REY PRENDES;
|
||
Democratic Action (AD), Ricardo GONZALEZ Camacho
|
||
|
||
Suffrage: universal at age 18
|
||
|
||
Elections:
|
||
|
||
President--last held 19 March 1989 (next to be held March 1994);
|
||
results--Alfredo CRISTIANI (ARENA) 53.8%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 36.6%,
|
||
other 9.6%;
|
||
|
||
Legislative Assembly--last held 10 March 1991 (next to be
|
||
held March 1994);
|
||
results--ARENA 44.3%, PDC 27.96%, CD 12.16%, PCN 8.99%, MAC 3.23%,
|
||
UDN 2.68%;
|
||
seats--(84 total) ARENA 39, PDC 26, PCN 9, CD 8, UDN 1, MAC 1
|
||
|
||
Other political or pressure groups:
|
||
|
||
Leftist revolutionary movement--Farabundo Marti National
|
||
Liberation Front (FMLN), leadership body of the insurgency, four
|
||
factions--Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), Armed Forces of National
|
||
Resistance (FARN), People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), Salvadoran
|
||
Communist Party/Armed Forces of Liberation (PCES/FAL), and Central
|
||
American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC)/Popular Liberation
|
||
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARLP);
|
||
|
||
Leftist political parties--National Democratic Union (UDN),
|
||
National Revolutionary Movement (MNR), and Popular Social Movement
|
||
(MPSC);
|
||
|
||
FMLN front organizations:
|
||
|
||
Labor fronts include--National Union of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS),
|
||
leftist umbrella front group, leads FMLN front network;
|
||
National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS), best
|
||
organized of front groups and controlled by FMLN's National Resistance
|
||
(RN); Social Security Institute Workers Union (STISSS), one of the most
|
||
militant fronts, is controlled by FMLN'S Armed Forces of National
|
||
Resistance (FARN) and RN;
|
||
Association of Telecommunications Workers (ASTTEL);
|
||
Centralized Union Federation of El Salvador (FUSS);
|
||
Treasury Ministry Employees (AGEMHA);
|
||
|
||
Nonlabor fronts include--Committee of Mothers and Families of Political
|
||
Prisoners, Disappeared Persons, and Assassinated of El Salvador
|
||
(COMADRES);
|
||
Nongovernmental Human Rights Commission (CDHES);
|
||
Committee of Dismissed and Unemployed of El Salvador (CODYDES);
|
||
General Association of Salvadoran University Students (AGEUS);
|
||
National Association of Salvadoran Educators (ANDES-21 DE JUNIO);
|
||
Salvadoran Revolutionary Student Front (FERS), associated with the
|
||
Popular Forces of Liberation (FPL);
|
||
Association of National University Educators (ADUES);
|
||
Salvadoran University Students Front (FEUS);
|
||
Christian Committee for the Displaced of El Salvador (CRIPDES),
|
||
an FPL front;
|
||
The Association for Communal Development in El Salvador (PADECOES),
|
||
controlled by the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP);
|
||
Confederation of Cooperative Associations of El Salvador (COACES);
|
||
|
||
Labor organizations--Federation of Construction and Transport
|
||
Workers Unions (FESINCONSTRANS), independent;
|
||
Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association;
|
||
Unitary Federation of Salvadoran Unions (FUSS), leftist;
|
||
National Federation of Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS), leftist;
|
||
Democratic Workers Central (CTD), moderate;
|
||
General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate;
|
||
National Unity of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), leftist;
|
||
National Union of Workers and Peasants (UNOC),
|
||
moderate labor coalition of democratic labor organizations;
|
||
United Workers Front (FUT);
|
||
|
||
Business organizations--National Association of Private Enterprise
|
||
(ANEP), conservative;
|
||
Productive Alliance (AP), conservative;
|
||
National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES),
|
||
conservative
|
||
|
||
Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
|
||
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES,
|
||
LORCS, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
|
||
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
|
||
|
||
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Miguel Angel SALAVERRIA;
|
||
Chancery at 2308 California Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone
|
||
(202) 265-3480 through 3482; there are Salvadoran Consulates General in
|
||
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco;
|
||
|
||
US--Ambassador William G. WALKER; Embassy at 25 Avenida Norte No.
|
||
1230, San Salvador (mailing address is APO Miami 34023); telephone 503
|
||
26-7100
|
||
|
||
Flag: 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
|
||
Overview: The agricultural sector accounts for 25% of GDP, employs
|
||
about 40% of the labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports.
|
||
Coffee is the major commercial crop, accounting for 45% of export
|
||
earnings. The manufacturing sector, based largely on food and beverage
|
||
processing, accounts for 18% of GDP and 15% of employment. Economic
|
||
losses because of guerrilla sabotage total more than $2.0 billion
|
||
since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large military seriously
|
||
constrain the government's efforts to provide essential social services.
|
||
Nevertheless, growth in national output last year exceeded growth in
|
||
population for the first time since 1987.
|
||
|
||
GDP: $5.4 billion, per capita $1,030; real growth rate 2.8%
|
||
(1990 est.)
|
||
|
||
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1990)
|
||
|
||
Unemployment rate: 10% (1989)
|
||
|
||
Budget: revenues $751 million; expenditures $790 million, including
|
||
capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
|
||
|
||
Exports: $571 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
|
||
|
||
commodities--coffee 45%, sugar, cotton, shrimp;
|
||
|
||
partners--US 49%, FRG 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%
|
||
|
||
Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
|
||
|
||
commodities--petroleum products, consumer goods, foodstuffs,
|
||
machinery, construction materials, fertilizer;
|
||
|
||
partners--US 40%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 7%, FRG 5%,
|
||
Japan 4%
|
||
|
||
External debt: $2.1 billion (December 1990 est.)
|
||
|
||
Industrial production: growth rate 2.4% (1990); accounts for
|
||
22% of GDP
|
||
|
||
Electricity: 682,000 kW capacity; 1,849 million kWh produced,
|
||
350 kWh per capita (1990)
|
||
|
||
Industries: food processing, textiles, clothing, beverages,
|
||
petroleum, tobacco products, chemicals, furniture
|
||
Agriculture: accounts for 25% of GDP and 40% of labor force
|
||
(including fishing and forestry); coffee most important commercial crop;
|
||
other products--sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy
|
||
products, shrimp; not self-sufficient in food
|
||
|
||
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $2.95
|
||
billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
|
||
(1970-88), $455 million
|
||
|
||
Currency: Salvadoran colon (plural--colones); 1 Salvadoran
|
||
colon (C) = 100 centavos
|
||
|
||
Exchange rates: Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1--8.0 (April
|
||
1991, floating rate since mid-1990); 5.0000 (fixed rate 1986 to mid-1990)
|
||
|
||
Fiscal year: calendar year
|
||
|
||
COMMUNICATIONS
|
||
Railroads: 602 km 0.914-meter gauge, single track
|
||
|
||
Highways: 10,000 km total; 1,500 km paved, 4,100 km gravel,
|
||
4,400 km improved and unimproved earth
|
||
|
||
Inland waterways: Rio Lempa partially navigable
|
||
|
||
Ports: Acajutla, Cutuco
|
||
|
||
Civil air: 7 major transport aircraft
|
||
|
||
Airports: 116 total, 82 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways;
|
||
none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
|
||
5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
|
||
|
||
Telecommunications: nationwide trunk radio relay system; connection
|
||
into Central American Microwave System; 116,000 telephones; stations--77
|
||
AM, no FM, 5 TV, 2 shortwave; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
|
||
|
||
DEFENSE FORCES
|
||
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police,
|
||
Treasury Police
|
||
|
||
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,220,088; 780,108 fit for
|
||
military service; 71,709 reach military age (18) annually
|
||
|
||
Defense expenditures: $220 million, 3.6% of GDP (1990)
|
||
|
||
|