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
Data code:
ES
Government type:
republic
Capital:
San Salvador
Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singulardepartamento); Ahuachapan,
Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan,
San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
20 December 1983
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
note:
Legislative Assembly passed landmark judicial reforms in 1996
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique
BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); notethe president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique
BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); notethe president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
five-year terms; election last held 20 March 1994, with a run-off election
held 24 April 1994 (next to be held 7 March 1999)
election results:
Armando CALDERON Sol elected president; percent of voteArmando CALDERON
Sol (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ
Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%; because no candidate received a majority,
a run-off election was held and the results were as followsArmando
CALDERON Sol (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
note:
in the election held 7 March 1999, Francisco FLORES elected president,
Carlos QUINTANILLA elected vice president (will take office 1 June 1999);
percent of voteFrancisco FLORES (ARENA) 52%, Facundo GUARDADO (FMLN/USC)
29%, Ruben ZAMORA (CD) 8%, other parties 11%
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 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)
election results:
percent of vote by partyARENA 35.4%, FMLN 34.3%, PCN 8.1%, PDC 7.9%, CD
3.8%, PRSC 3.4%, PLD 3.2%, MU 2.1%, PD 1.0%, other 0.8%; seats by partyARENA 28, FMLN 27, PCN 9, PDC 8, PRSC 3, CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1,
independent 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative
Assembly
Political parties and leaders:
National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Alfredo CRISTIANI]; Farabundo Marti
National Liberation Front or FMLN [Facundo GUARDADO, general coordinator];
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ronal UMANA, secretary general; title in
dispute]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary
general]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];
Popular Labor Party or PPL [Jose VILANOVA, secretary general]; Liberal
Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; Social Christian
Union or USC [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Democratic Party or PD [Ana
Guadeloupe MARTINEZ, president]
note:
the Social Christian Union or USC is formed by the union of the Social
Christian Renovation Party or PRSC, the Unity Movement or MU, and the MSN
Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor organizations:
National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS;
National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Federation of the
Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or
FESINCONTRANS; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Port Industry Union of El
Salvador or SIPES; Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES;
Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL
business organizations:
Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI;
Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; National Association of
Small Enterprise or ANEP
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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rene A. LEON
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
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Anne W. PATTERSON
embassy:
Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador
mailing address:
Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone:
[503] 278-4444
FAX:
[503] 278-6011
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 bandit 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