El Salvador (2001) | Qatar (2001) | |
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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 | 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
37.68% (male 1,198,623; female 1,151,584) 15-64 years: 57.27% (male 1,693,865; female 1,878,254) 65 years and over: 5.05% (male 142,345; female 172,991) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
25.77% (male 101,155; female 97,086) 15-64 years: 71.75% (male 391,178; female 160,665) 65 years and over: 2.48% (male 13,625; female 5,443) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | 83 (2000 est.) | 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total:
2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
79 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 62 (2000 est.) |
total:
2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km |
total:
11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Massachusetts | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Background | El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost the lives of some 75,000 people, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 28.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues:
$3.9 billion expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | San Salvador | Doha |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands | desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer |
Coastline | 307 km | 563 km |
Constitution | 23 December 1983 | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador |
conventional long form:
State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
Currency | Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD) | Qatari rial (QAR) |
Death rate | 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.1 billion (2000 est.) | $13.1 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS embassy: Boulevard Santa Elena Final, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-6011 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE embassy: 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 note: workweek is Saturday-Wednesday |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required | in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001 |
Economic aid - recipient | total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.) | $NA |
Economy - overview | El Salvador is a struggling Central American economy which has been suffering from a weak tax collection system, factory closings, the aftermaths of Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and the devastating earthquakes of early 2001, and weak world coffee prices. On the bright side, in recent years inflation has fallen to single digit levels, and total exports have grown substantially. The trade deficit has been offset by remittances (an estimated $1.6 billion in 2000) from Salvadorans living abroad and by external aid. As of 1 January 2001, the US dollar was made legal tender alongside the colon. | Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports. |
Electricity - consumption | 3.638 billion kWh (1999) | 8.37 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 208 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 460 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 3.641 billion kWh (1999) | 9 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
45.65% hydro: 41.01% nuclear: 0% other: 13.34% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes; Hurricane Mitch damage | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9% | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993) | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Francisco FLORES Perez (since 1 June 1999); Vice President Carlos QUINTANILLA Schmidt (since 1 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: Francisco FLORES Perez elected president; percent of vote - Francisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN) 29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CDU) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5% |
chief of state:
Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999 Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
Exports | $2.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity | petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | US 63%, Guatemala 11%, Honduras 7%, Costa Rica 4% (1999) | Japan 52%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, US, UAE (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | 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 | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $24 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15.1 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
12% industry: 28% services: 60% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 50 N, 88 55 W | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
Geography - note | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
10,029 km paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1997) |
total:
1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.2% highest 10%: 38.3% (1995) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic drug abuse on the rise | - |
Imports | $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US 52%, Guatemala 9%, Mexico 6%, Costa Rica 3% (1999) | UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998) |
Independence | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
Infant mortality rate | 28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 21.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (2000) |
International organization participation | BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 4 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,200 sq km (1993 est.) | 80 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 2.35 million (1999) | 233,000 (1993 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total:
545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
total:
60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land:
27% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 29% forests and woodland: 5% other: 31% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
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 | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - ARENA 36.1%, FMLN 35.14%, PCN 8.76%, PDC 7.08%, CD 5.32%, PAN 3.75%, USC 1.47%, PLD 1.29%; seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 31, PCN 14, PDC 5, CD 3, PAN 1, independent 2 |
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have their terms extended every four years since |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
70.03 years male: 66.43 years female: 73.81 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
72.62 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.21 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 10 and over can read and write total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
200 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total:
25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $112 million (FY99) | $723 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% (FY99) | 10% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,464,898 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
312,116 note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
929,263 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
163,642 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
68,103 (2001 est.) |
males:
6,797 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | noun:
Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran |
noun:
Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | -3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 20.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km |
Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Democratic Convergence or CD (includes PSD, MNR, MPSC) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Fabio CASTILLO]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Walter ARAUJO]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI | none |
Population | 6,237,662 (July 2001 est.) | 769,152 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 48% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.85% (2001 est.) | 3.18% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 2.75 million (1997) | 256,000 (1997) |
Railways | total:
562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of route which is operational is reduced to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintainance (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 86%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador |
Muslim 95% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | suffrage is limited to municipal elections |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System |
general assessment:
modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 380,000 (1998) | 142,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 40,163 (1997) | 43,476 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (1997) | 2 (plus three repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | 3.34 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | Rio Lempa partially navigable | none |