Terrain

El Salvador consists mainly of a central plateau with numerous river valleys. The plateau is located between two volcanic ranges which span across the country from east to west. The narrow coastal plain on the Pacific is about 24 km wide. In the extreme north-west there are high, rugged mountains, which are the continuation of the central mountain range. The plateau has an average altitude of 610 m. The country's highest peak is El Pital at 2,730 m, and Santa Ana (2,385m) is the highest volcano. El Salvador is frequently struck by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Climate

El Salvador is a tropical country with intermittent humidity. At the coast it is very hot even though the humidity is relatively low. In the mountains temperate tropical temperatures prevail; from about 600 to 1,200 metres the climate is spring-like. A rainy season from May to October brings the average annual rainfall for most of the country to about 2,030 mm. Dry and often dusty conditions prevail from November to April. The average temperature of San Salvador is around 24°C.

Fauna/Flora

The mountains of El Salvador are covered with grassland and sparse oak and pine forests. The country's natural vegetation consists of leafy trees and subtropical grassland. This vegetation was largely destroyed so as to create coffee plantations and obtain arable land. El Salvador's fauna is less rich in species in comparison to other Central American countries. However, its lakes and rivers are rich in fish. Its bird species include humming birds, flamingos and parrots.

History/Politics

El Salvador was inhabited by the Chibcha and Mayan peoples (who had less of an influence on the country's history) for centuries before the arrival of Spanish explorers. After Pedro de Alvarado had conquered Middle America (1524-25), El Salvador became a part of the General Captaincy of Guatemala, subject to the Viceroyalty of Mexico. In 1821, the country declared its independence from Spain and joined the United Provinces of Central America.

El Salvador gained total independence on 1 January 1841. The country went through a turbulent period in the second half of the 19th century due to territorial fighting; the early 20th century, however, was relatively stable, and the economy made considerable progress. The cultivation and export of coffee became the leading branch of industry in the economy.

From 1931 to 1944, dictator General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez ruled the country. In 1932, he used force to crush a popular uprising which resulted from the world economic crisis of 1929. Towards the end of the forties, the oppressed classes called for economic and social reforms. The various military juntas, however, ignored these demands. In January 1961, a directorate introduced the first economic reforms, which were implemented during the two decades that followed.

However, the reforms did not have significant results and were, in part, hindered by powerful landowners. In June 1969, war broke out between El Salvador and Honduras due to the demographic tensions which arose as 300,000 Salvadorans immigrated to Honduras, as a result of soaring unemployment. In the early 1970s, popular and workers' movements moved on in the fight for their rights.

This led to a bloody civil war between 1979 and 1992, during which politico-military organizations joined the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) as a broad-based alliance in opposition to the government. The 1989 elections were won by the right-wing National Republican Alliance, which then also had a majority in the National Assembly.

Its leader, Alfredo Cristiani, took over from President Duarte. UN-mediated peace talks between the government and guerrillas were resumed, but conflicts nevertheless continued. In September 1991, government representatives and the rebel leaders agreed upon a peace treaty, which was signed in 1992. The treaty brought an end to the civil war, which had led left 75,000 dead, 8,000 people missing and around one million refugees.

The 1994 elections were won by the right-wing candidate Armando Calderón Sol. After the International Court in The Hague had handed over disputed border areas to Honduras, border clashes in the following years, though they were officially brought to an end in February 1997. Francisco Flores was elected president in 1999 and the economic situation led to the US dollar becoming the national currency in 2001. The same year, the decade's strongest earthquake struck the country, causing more than 1,500 deaths and leaving more than 1.5 million people homeless. Antonio Saca won the presidential elections in March 2004.

Economy

ThThe civil war and earthquake in the 1980s considerably restricted the economic development of the country. Approximately 40% of the population work in agriculture, 15% in industry and 45% in the services sector. About one third of the land is suitable for farming.

Coffee is the most important agricultural commodity and is grown on large farms on the central plateau. It accounts for 60% of exports; other exports include cotton and sugar cane. Maize, millet, rice, and beans are grown for subsistence. The unemployment rate reached 6.8% in 2003, and inflation was 2.1%.

Culture

The people of El Salvador are mainly a mixture of indigenous and Spanish, and their culture reflects this heritage. The folk music of El Salvador resembles that of the other Central American countries and some dances bring together elements from various European countries.

The sixties brought a new kind of folk music called nueva canción (new song), reflecting the turbulent political developments in the region. These songs are characterized by blunt political openness, which range from criticism and opposition to armed resistance.