rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (06/15/91)
EL SALVADOR FACT SHEET
June 1991
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Compiled by CIDAI, the Center for Information, Documentation and
Research Support of the Central American University of El
Salvador (UCA). Please mention CIDAI when using these figures,
and if you re-publish them as a whole please send us a copy for
our files: Apdo. Postal 01-168, San Salvador, El Salvador.
A laser-printed copy of this fact sheet in Spanish and/or English
can be obtained by mail from CIDAI.
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BASIC INFORMATION:
Size: 21,000 sq. km. (8,200 sq. mi.). The smallest country in
Central America.
Population: According to Planning Ministry projections, the 1990
population totaled 5,251,678, of which 50.3% live in urban areas.
The annual population growth rate is 2.4%.
Geographical location: El Salvador is bounded on the west by
Guatemala, on the north and east, in part, by Honduras, on the
east by Honduras and Nicaragua in the waters of the Gulf of
Fonseca, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean.
Capital: San Salvador, with a population of 1,256,529. The 1980
metropolitan area population was 865,998.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS:
Gross National Product (GNP): $5.283 billion in 1990. The primary
sector produced 11.3% of the GNP, while industry produced 21.1%
and the service sector accounted for the remaining 67.6%.
Principal products: In 1988, agricultural crops accounted for 76%
of agrarian production, while 13% was from livestock, 6.3% from
poultry and 2.6% from fishing. That same year, the chief
agricultural crops were coffee (57.5%), corn (13.3%), beans
(7.7%) and sugar cane (5.1%). The chief branches of manufacturing
are foodstuffs (37.8%), beverages (15%), petroleum products
(6.4%) and textiles (5.7%).
Exports: $580 million 1990, of which 50.8% were traditional
exports and 49.2% were non-traditional. The principal export
products are coffee, textiles, food products, beverages and
tobacco.
Foreign trade: El Salvador's principal trading partner is the
United States, which in 1988 purchased 39% of Salvadoran exports,
followed by Germany (23.1%), the Central American countries
(23%), and Japan (4.5%). El Salvador purchased 37.4% of its
imports from the United States, 19.6% from the Central American
countries, 5% from Japan and 4.3% from Germany.
Economically Active Population: In 1988, around 2.2 million, with
34% in agriculture, 17% in industry, 18% in trade and 24% in the
service sector.
Per capita income: In 1991, approximately $890 per year. Increase
of 0.6% from 1989 to 1990.
Income distribution: In 1980, the poorest 20% of the population
earned 2% of the national income; the 30% of the population below
the mean earned 10%; the 30% above the mean earned 22%; and the
wealthiest 20% of the population earned 66% of national income.
Although current statistics are not available, it can be said
that the distributional tendency has been quite regressive.
Employment: In 1990, urban unemployment was 10% while
underemployment reached 49%. There are no current statistics on
rural employment. In urban areas, 52.4% of the economically
active population belonged to the informal sector, while the
other 47.6% worked in the modern sector.
Average real wages: Real wages have fallen continually since
1984. Comparison of 1980 real daily wage with 1987-1990 (dollar
equivalencies):
1980 1987 1988 1989 1990
Industry, commerce,
service sector $3.44 $0.74 $0.72 $0.53 $0.37
Agriculture $1.64 $0.39 $0.40 $0.29 $0.21
ECONOMIC TRENDS:
GNP growth: In 1990, real GNP growth was 3.4%, the highest rate
of the last 12 years. In 1987, 1988 and 1989 the real GNP growth
rate was 2.7%, 1.6% and 1.1%, respectively.
Inflation: The rate of inflation over the last four years (1987-
1990) was 24.9%, 19.8%, 17.6% and 23.9%, respectively.
Exports and imports: Between January and September 1990,
traditional exports increased 17% while non-traditional exports
increased 22%. Imports increased 6.5% during the same period.
According to Central Reserve Bank estimates, at year's end
exports totaled $571.5 million and imports reached $1.2 billion.
Balance of payments: The Central Reserve Bank estimated a $628.5
million trade balance deficit for 1990. Adding on net transfers
($528.6 million) and net services (-$23 million), there would be
a net current accounts balance of -$122.9 million at year's end.
However, the capital account showed a positive balance of $287.4
million, producing a $164.5 million surplus in the balance of
payments for 1990. Net International Reserves grew by $60
million, from $293.9 million to $353.9 million.
Foreign debt: In 1989, the foreign debt totaled $2.169 billion.
By June 1990 it had grown to $2.209 billion. In 1988, 43% of the
foreign debt was held by multilateral lending agencies
(principally World Bank and IADB), while another 43% was
bilateral. Some debt statistics:
-Ratio debt/exports: 437 (1989)
-Ratio interest payments/exports: 7.8 (1988)
-Ratio debt service/exports: 52.8 (1989)
-Ratio debt/GNP: 37.5 (1989)
SOCIAL INDICATORS:
Poverty rate: In 1990, over half the population lived below the
poverty line, in other words, family income was inadequate to
meet basic needs. Approximately one-third of these were
considered extremely poor, in other words, family income was
inadequate to cover even food needs.
Infant mortality: In 1988, 57 per 1000 live births. Comparable
rates for other countries that year were: Guatemala 57/1000,
Honduras 68/1000, Nicaragua 60/1000, Costa Rica 18/1000, Panama
22/1000, Spain 9/1000).
Malnutrition: 30% of first graders show growth retardation. About
47% of children under five suffer from some degree of
malnutrition.
Physicians: In 1984 there was one doctor per 2,830 Salvadorans.
Comparable rates for other countries that year were: Guatemala
1/2180, Honduras 1/1510, Nicaragua 1/1500, Costa Rica 1/960,
Panama 1/980, Spain 1/320.
Hospital beds: In 1988 there were 117 hospital beds per 1000
residents. Comparable rates for other countries that year were:
Honduras 131/1000, Nicargua 248/1000, Costa Rica 335/1000.
Life expectancy: In 1988, the life expectancy at birth was 63
years. Comparable figures for other countries that year were:
Guatemala 62, Honduras 64, Nicaragua 64, Costa Rica 75, Panama
72, Spain 77.
Basic services: In 1988, 58% of the population had no access to
potable water and 42% had no toilets or latrines.
Literacy: In 1985, 28% of adults were illiterate, and 30% of the
Economically Active Population was illiterate. Comparable rates
for other countries that year were: Guatemala 45%, Honduras 41%,
Costa Rica 6%, Panama 12%, Spain 6%.
Level of education: The average level of education nationwide is
4.5 years of primary school. In rural areas, the average is 3.1
years of primary school.
School attendance: In 1987, only 29% of the population of
secondary school age was actually enrolled. Comparable rates for
that same year in Nicaragua and Costa Rica were 43% and 41%,
respectively. That same year, only 17.7% of those between 18-25
years of age were enrolled in universities. Comparable rates for
Nicaragua and Costa Rica that year were 8.4% and 24.8%.
Social security: At the beginning of the 1980s, only 11.6% of the
Economically Active Population was covered by the social security
system. Comparable rates for other countries that year were:
Guatemala 33.1%, Honduras 13.3%, Nicaragua 18.9%, Costa Rica
68.3%, Panama 45.5%.
COST OF DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY THE WAR:
Overall damages: According to AID, $1.5 billion between 1981 and
1985.
Sabotage of the electrical system: $290 million as of February
1990.
Sabotage of the telecommunications system: $180 million from
1979-1989.
for more information or for laser-printed copy in Spanish or
English, contact cidai by reply e-mail.
** End of text from cdp:reg.elsalvador **