Information
Country: El SalvadorContinent: North America
El Salvador, North America
Overview
Tucked in Central America, El Salvador is a small but lively country, with Honduras to the east, Guatemala to the west, and the blue stretch of the Pacific rolling against its southern coast.El Salvador, the smallest yet most crowded country in Central America, brims with volcanic peaks, centuries of history, and a vibrant mix of cultures.El Salvador sits in the heart of Central America, with the Pacific Ocean lapping at its southern coast, Guatemala on its western edge, and Honduras stretching along the east.Covering roughly 21,041 square kilometers (8,124 square miles), the country stretches from jagged mountain peaks and simmering volcanoes down to wide, sunlit coastal plains.It sits along the Ring of Fire, where the ground can rumble without warning and volcanoes sometimes spit ash into the sky.El Salvador boasts over 20 volcanoes-among them Izalco, San Vicente, and Ilamatepeq-some still rumbling with life.The country’s rivers include the wide, winding Lempa, its longest, flowing past coffee fields and small fishing boats.The country is dotted with lakes-among them Lake Cocibolca and Lake Ilopango, a deep blue crater lake born from volcanic fire.Long before the Spanish arrived, the land we now call El Salvador was home to indigenous peoples such as the Pipil and the Lenca.The Pipil were one branch of the wider Nahuatl-speaking world, their cities thriving in the warm valleys before the early 1500s, when Pedro de Alvarado and his Spanish forces rode in and seized the land.Under Spanish rule, El Salvador was absorbed into the Kingdom of Guatemala, its towns echoing with the sound of church bells over the plaza.The Spanish forced their culture, religion, and economy onto the land, bringing coffee, sugar, and other crops that depended on indigenous labor under the hot sun.On September 15, 1821, El Salvador joined the rest of Central America in declaring independence from Spain.For a short time, it belonged to the Mexican Empire, then joined the United Provinces of Central America, before standing on its own as an independent republic in 1841.From 1979 to 1992, the streets of El Salvador echoed with gunfire as government forces clashed with left‑wing guerrillas in a brutal civil war.The conflict claimed tens of thousands of lives, leaving behind mass graves and a trail of brutal human rights abuses.The war came to a close in 1992 with the signing of the Peace Accords, opening the door to a more democratic future.Since then, El Salvador has rebuilt roads and schools, strengthened its democratic institutions, and fought to curb violence.Still, gang violence, poverty, and corruption weigh heavily on the country, where fields of coffee and sugarcane have long formed the backbone of El Salvador’s economy.The country’s famous for its coffee, sugar, and corn-rich beans, sweet crystals, and golden ears fresh from the fields.For centuries, coffee has stood among El Salvador’s most vital export crops, its rich scent drifting from farms at dawn.The country also runs a thriving textile and garment industry, one of its biggest sources of export income.El Salvador gains from preferential trade deals such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States, which has strengthened its textile and apparel exports, from cotton T-shirts to denim jeans.Tourism is also on the rise, drawing visitors to its black-sand beaches and volcanic landscapes.The country’s famous for its beaches-Pacific coast waves draw surfers from all over-and for its wild beauty, from smoking volcanoes to shimmering lakes and sprawling national parks.San Salvador’s historic landmarks and the colorful villages along the Ruta de Las Flores draw plenty of visitors, while money sent home by Salvadorans abroad-especially from the U. S.-remains a major pillar of the country’s economy.Remittances play a vital role in the country’s economy, with countless families relying on money wired from loved ones overseas to pay for basics like rice or school fees.Spanish is the official language of El Salvador, yet you’ll still hear indigenous tongues such as Nahuatl, spoken by the Pipil people.Over the years, indigenous languages have faded from daily life, their words heard less and less in markets or village squares.Music and dance, though, still pulse with life in El Salvador, weaving together indigenous rhythms, African beats, and Spanish melodies.Cumbia, merengue, and salsa fill dance floors and spill from open windows-they’re some of the most loved music genres around.During lively festivals and cultural gatherings, you’ll see traditional dances like the swirling Cumbia Salvadoreña and the dramatic Los Danzantes de los Moros, while plates brim with corn, beans, and rice-the simple staples at the heart of Salvadoran cuisine.Pupusas are thick corn tortillas, warm and golden, filled with cheese, beans, or pork, and celebrated as the national dish.People also love tamales, yuca-soft and starchy-and golden, flaky empanadas.Tortillas show up at nearly every meal, often warm and soft beside the plate.In El Salvador, most people are Christian-Roman Catholicism leads, with Protestant churches close behind.Catholicism has long shaped the country’s culture and traditions, but in recent decades Protestantism-especially Evangelical Christianity-has grown quickly.El Salvador also bursts with colorful festivals, from streets strung with paper lanterns to parades that pulse with drumbeats.Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is among the country’s most important religious celebrations, filling streets with candlelit processions, echoing hymns, and lively festivals from coast to mountains.Fiestas Patronales honor each town’s patron saint with lively parades, pounding drums, and dancers in bright skirts, while in El Salvador, children aged 7 to 15 attend school for free, as the law requires.Still, the quality of education isn’t the same everywhere-rural schools often struggle with too few books and aging buildings.Although things have improved, many Salvadorans still struggle to get into college, and the healthcare system-made up of both crowded public clinics and private providers-serves the country’s needs.Public healthcare is open to everyone, but it often struggles with tight budgets and crowded waiting rooms.Many Salvadorans turn to private clinics and hospitals for better care, even though the bills can add up fast.The country also struggles with deep social problems-gang violence, widespread poverty, and too many people out of work.Gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18 hold a tight grip on certain neighborhoods, where gunfire at night is a common reminder of their power and the violence it breeds.Corruption and inequality are still pressing problems-bribes slip under tables, and power tilts to the few.El Salvador runs as a presidential republic.The president acts as both head of state and head of government, elected to a five-year term that can feel like a long stretch in office.The country’s single-chamber legislature, known as the Legislative Assembly, handles lawmaking, while its courts operate independently, like a door firmly shut to outside influence.El Salvador’s political landscape is varied, with several parties sharing the stage, from long-standing groups to newer voices.In recent years, the country has seen sharp shifts in power, the kind you can feel in the crowded buzz of a campaign rally.Back in 2019, Nayib Bukele stepped into the spotlight.
