(among some Amerindians)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
Government El Salvador
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
San Salvador
Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
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:
23 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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June
2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1
June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March
2004 (next to be held March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;
percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik
HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%
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 2003 (next to be held March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben
ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ];
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo
GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO,
president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS,
secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ
ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias
Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the
merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement
or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [Juan MEDRANO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or
SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and
other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of
Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or
UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union
of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers
Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL;
business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or
ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran
Industrial Association or ASI
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO
Diplomatic
