El Salvador

El Salvador, with its capital San Salvador, is located in Central America bordering the north Pacific Ocean; between Guatemala and Honduras. The total area is 21,040 sq. km. and is compared to being slightly smaller than Massachusetts. It has a tropical climate with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. In addition, it is tropical on the coast and temperate in uplands. The terrain is mostly mountainous with a narrow coastal belt and central plateau. Some of its natural resources include: hydropower, geothermal power, and petroleum. Their current environmental issues are: deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes, and Hurricane Mitch damage.

In July 2001, the population size was estimated at 6,237,662. The official language is Spanish. However, Nahua is spoken by some Amerindians. Some of their agriculture products include: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum, shrimp, beef, and dairy products. Their industries include: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, and light metals.

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