El Salvador
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- San Salvador
- Population
- 6,334,723 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 21,041 sq km
- Government
- presidential republic
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)
- Life Expectancy
- 75.9 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .sv
- 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
- Natural Resources
- hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
- Major Exports
- garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839.