| Geography
and Climate |
El
Salvador lies on the Pacific coast of Central America,
bordering Honduras and Guatemala. Six million people
live in an area the size of Massachusetts, making
it the most densely populated country in the region.
San Salvador, the capital, has a population of
half a million. El Salvador's terrain is diverse.
Mountains divide the country into three distinct
regions: the southern coastal belt, the central
valleys and plateaus, and the northern mountains.
The climate is semitropical, and there are distinct
wet and dry seasons. The rainy season typically
lasts from May to October.
Spanish is the official language and is spoken throughout the country. Ninety-five
percent of the population is classified as Mestizo, meaning of mixed Spanish
and Indian descent.
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| Economy
and Government |
Agriculture
continues to be the prominent economic activity. Coffee
and sugar cane are the main cash crops, and maize,
sorghum, rice, and beans are the principal food crops.
The rural population is significantly poorer than the urban: close to two thirds
of rural people live in poverty. El Salvador is one of the most ecologically
devastated countries in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 95 percent of
its tropical deciduous forest destroyed and less than 12 percent forest coverage
remaining, of which 5 percent is planted with coffee and accompanying shade trees.
One fifth of all Salvadorans live in the U.S, annually sending over one billion
dollars to family members back home.
El Salvador is a democratic republic governed since June 2004 by President Antonio
Saca. The president is elected by universal suffrage and serves for a 5-year
term by absolute majority vote.
|
| Culture |
Almost
90 percent of El Salvador's 6 million people are Mestizo,
meaning they are of mixed Indian and Spanish origin. About
1 percent is indigenous; and very few Indians have retained
their customs and traditions. The remaining 9 percent are
Caucasian.
About 75 percent of Salvadorans are Catholic. Protestant groups are active and
their membership is growing. Spanish is the official language and it is the language
spoken by virtually all inhabitants.
Men and women generally hold conservative ideas about society and family. Women,
especially in the rural areas, play traditional roles in food preparation and
child rearing although they have some food production responsibilities.
.
:text
taken from www.peacecorps.gov
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