Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
21,041 sq km
country comparison to the world: 153
land:
20,721 sq km
water:
320 sq km
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
total:
590 km
border countries:
Guatemala 199 km, Honduras 391 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
307 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
More Climate Details
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
arable land:
31.61%
permanent crops:
10.93%
other:
57.46% (2011)
449.9 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
25.23 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
1.84 cu km/yr (22%/14%/64%)
per capita:
301.9 cu m/yr (2007)
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
volcanism:
significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (elev. 2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea