Poland (2001) | El Salvador (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
18.39% (male 3,640,451; female 3,463,604) 15-64 years: 69.17% (male 13,288,471; female 13,434,753) 65 years and over: 12.44% (male 1,836,816; female 2,969,817) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 37.4% (male 1,211,156; female 1,162,317)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 1,735,744; female 1,922,395) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 144,864; female 177,205) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork | coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products |
Airports | 122 (2000 est.) | 83 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
83 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 42 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2000 est.) |
total: 78
914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 61 (2002) |
Area | total:
312,685 sq km land: 304,465 sq km water: 8,220 sq km |
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Mexico | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
Background | Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999. | El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. |
Birth rate | 10.2 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 28.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$49.6 billion expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
revenues: $2.1 billion
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) (2001 est.) |
Capital | Warsaw | San Salvador |
Climate | temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands |
Coastline | 491 km | 307 km |
Constitution | 16 October 1997; adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 23 May 1997 | 23 December 1983 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska |
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador |
Currency | zloty (PLN) | Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 9.98 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $57 billion (2000) | $4.9 billion (2001 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Christopher R. HILL embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-054, Warsaw P1 mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 628-30-41 FAX: [48] (22) 628-82-98 consulate(s) general: Krakow |
chief of mission: Ambassador Rose M. LIKINS
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Urbanizacion Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-6011 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | El Salvador claims tiny Conejo Island off Honduras in the Golfo de Fonseca; many of the "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary remain undemarcated despite ICJ adjudication in 1992; 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 |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | total $252 million; $57 million from US (1999 est.) |
Economy - overview | Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of liberalizing the economy and today stands out as one of the most successful and open transition economies. GDP growth has been strong and steady since 1992 - the best performance in the region. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing new firms has allowed for the rapid development of a vibrant private sector. In contrast, Poland's large agricultural sector remains handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy) has begun. Structural reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector. The government's determination to enter the EU as soon as possible affects most aspects of its economic policies. Improving Poland's outsized current account deficit and reining in inflation are priorities. Warsaw leads the region in foreign investment and needs a continued large inflow. | 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. Growth in 2002 will depend largely on the speed of recovery in the US. |
Electricity - consumption | 120.007 billion kWh (1999) | 4.07 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 8.43 billion kWh (1999) | 112 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 3.491 billion kWh (1999) | 750 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 134.351 billion kWh (1999) | 3.69 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
96.43% hydro: 3.16% nuclear: 0% other: 0.41% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 42%
hydro: 36% nuclear: 0% other: 22% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
Environment - current issues | situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environmental concern by postcommunist governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Polish 97.6%, German 1.3%, Ukrainian 0.6%, Byelorussian 0.5% (1990 est.) | mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9% |
Exchange rates | zlotych per US dollar - 4.3126 (December 2000), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999), 3.4754 (1998), 3.2793 (1997), 2.6961 (1996) | Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.750 (fixed since January 2001), 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993)
note: since January 2001 the US dollar has also become legal tender; the exchange rate has been fixed at 8.75 colones per US dollar |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jerzy BUZEK - Solidarity Electoral Union - (since 31 October 1997), Deputy Prime Ministers Janusz STEINHOFF (since 12 June 2000), Longin KOMOLOWSKI (since 19 October 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president; percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzj OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1% |
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: Council of Ministers 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 (CD) 7.5%, other (no individual above 3%) 11.5% |
Exports | $28.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $2.9 billion (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live animals 8.5% (1999) | offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity |
Exports - partners | Germany 36.1%, Italy 6.5%, Netherlands 5.3%, France 4.8%, UK 4.0%, Czech Republic 3.8% (1999) | US 65%, Guatemala 11%, Honduras 8%, EU 5% (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $327.5 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28.4 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3.8% industry: 36.6% services: 59.6% (1999) |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 30% services: 60% (2000) (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2000 est.) | 1.4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 52 00 N, 20 00 E | 13 50 N, 88 55 W |
Geography - note | historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea |
Heliports | 3 (2000 est.) | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total:
381,046 km paved: 249,966 km (including 268 km of expressways) unpaved: 131,080 km (1998) |
total: 10,029 km
paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,043 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3% highest 10%: 26.3% (1996) |
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 39% (2001) (2001) |
Illicit drugs | major illicit producer of amphetamine for the international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe | transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise |
Imports | $42.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $5 billion (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) | raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity |
Imports - partners | Germany 25.2%, Italy 9.4%, France 6.8%, Russia 5.8%, UK 4.6%, Netherlands 3.7% (1999) | US 50%, Guatemala 10%, EU 7%, Mexico 5%, (2000) |
Independence | 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.3% (1999) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Industries | machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles | food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals |
Infant mortality rate | 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10.2% (2000 est.) | 3.8% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 19 (2000) | 4 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,000 sq km (1993 est.) | 360 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms) | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) |
Labor force | 17.2 million (1999 est.) | 2.35 million (1999) (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 22.1%, agriculture 27.5%, services 50.4% (1999) | agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
2,888 km border countries: Belarus 605 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456 km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia 444 km, Ukraine 428 km |
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km |
Land use | arable land:
47% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 29% other: 10% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 27.27%
permanent crops: 12.11% other: 60.62% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Polish | Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) |
Legal system | mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts although under the new constitution, the Constitutional Tribunal ruling will become final as of October 1999; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg | 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 |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Sejm elections last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001); Senate - last held 21 September 1997 (next to be held by NA September 2001) election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - AWS 33.8%, SLD 27.1%, UW 13.4%, PSL 7.3%, ROP 5.6%, MNSO 0.4%, other 12.4%; seats by party - AWS 201, SLD 164, UW 60, PSL 27, ROP 6, MNSO 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AWS 51, SLD 28, UW 8, ROP 5, PSL 3, independents 5; note - seats by party in the Sejm as of February 2001: AWS 175, SLD 161, UW 49, PSL 26, PP 6, KdP 7, ROP-PC 4, independents 31, one seat vacant note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FMLN 31, ARENA 27, PCN 16, PDC 5, CD 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
73.42 years male: 69.26 years female: 77.82 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 70.32 years
male: 66.72 years female: 74.11 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 98% (1978 est.) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 71.5% male: 73.5% female: 69.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, east of Germany | Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
defined by international treaties territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 200 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 943,540 GRT/1,532,694 DWT ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force | Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $3.17 billion (FY00) | $112 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.95% (FY00) | 0.7% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
10,447,931 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,500,712 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
8,139,245 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 951,715 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
344,781 (2001 est.) |
males: 68,103 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
Nationality | noun:
Pole(s) adjective: Polish |
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran |
Natural hazards | NA | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes |
Natural resources | coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, arable land | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land |
Net migration rate | -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -3.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil and petroleum products 2,280 km; natural gas 17,000 km (1996) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Coalition for Poland or KdP [first name unknown GRABOWSKI]; Confederation for an Independent Poland-Patriotic Camp or KPN-OP (KPN-Fatherland or KPN-O is a small group within the KPN-OP) [Michal JANISZEWSKI]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD (Social Democracy of Poland) [Leszek MILLER]; Freedom Union or UW [Bronislaw GEREMEK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP-PC [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Jaroslaw KALINOWSKI]; Polish Socialist Party or PPS [Piotr IKONOWICZ]; Solidarity Electoral Action or AWS (includes RS-AWS and Solidarity) [Marian KRZAKLEWSKI]; Social Movement-Solidarity Electoral Action or RS-AWS [Jerzy BUZEK] | Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general] (includes Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO, leader); 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union); Roman Catholic Church; Solidarity (trade union) | 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 |
Population | 38,633,912 (July 2001 est.) | 6,353,681 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 18.4% (2000 est.) | 48% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.03% (2001 est.) | 1.83% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw | Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 20.2 million (1997) | 2.75 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
23,420 km broad gauge: 646 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 21,639 km 1.435-m gauge (11,626 km electrified; 8,978 km double track) narrow gauge: 1,135 km various gauges including 1.000-m, 0.785-m, 0.750-m, and 0.600-m (1998) |
total: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: length of operational route is reduced to 283 km by disuse and lack of maintenance (2001 est.) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and other 5% | Roman Catholic 83%
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 |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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 (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
underdeveloped and outmoded system; government aimed to have 10 million telephones in service by 2000; the process of partial privatization of the state-owned telephone monopoly has begun; in 1998 there were over 2 million applicants on the waiting list for telephone service domestic: cable, open wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8.07 million (1998) | 380,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.78 million (1998) | 40,163 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995) | 5 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 1.37 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.29 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 12% (1999) | 10% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | 3,812 km (navigable rivers and canals) (1996) | Rio Lempa partially navigable |