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TRAVEL TIPS
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS (June 2008)
To enter the country, U.S. citizens must present a current U.S. passport and either a Salvadoran visa or a one-entry tourist card. The tourist card may be obtained from immigration officials for a ten-dollar fee upon arrival in country. U.S. travelers who plan to remain in El Salvador for more than thirty days can apply in advance for a multiple-entry visa, issued free of charge, from the Embassy of El Salvador in Washington, DC or from a Salvadoran consulate. For passengers departing by air, El Salvador has an exit tax of $32.00 which is usually included in the price of the airline ticket.
In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission for the child's travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian if not present. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry/departure.
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SAFETY ISSUES
Most travelers to El Salvador experience no safety or security problems, but the criminal threat in El Salvador is critical. Random and organized violent crime is endemic throughout El Salvador. U.S. citizens have not been singled out by reason of their nationality, but are subject to the same threat as all other persons in El Salvador. Armed assaults and carjackings take place both in San Salvador and in the interior of the country, but are especially frequent on roads outside the capital where police patrols are scarce.
MEDICAL CARE
There are few private hospitals with an environment that would be acceptable to visiting Americans. The Embassy recommends that these hospitals be used only for emergency care, to stabilize a condition prior to returning to the U.S. for definitive evaluation and treatment. Private hospitals and physicians expect upfront payment (cash or, for hospitals, credit card) for all bills.
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STATISTICS
PEOPLE (June 2008)
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Salvadoran(s).
Population (2007 est.): 5.8 million.
Annual growth rate (2005 est.): 1.7%.
Ethnic groups: Mestizo 90%, indigenous 1%, Caucasian 9%.
Religion: About 52% Roman Catholic, with significant and growing numbers of Protestant groups.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Free through ninth grade. Attendance (grades 1-9)--90.4%. Literacy--85.4% nationally; 77% in rural areas.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2005)--23/1,000 (source: UNICEF). Life expectancy at birth (2006)--71.8 years.
Work force (about 2.7 million, 2006): Agriculture--18.9%; services--51.1%; industry--15.8%; construction--6.7%; government--7.4% (2006).
GEOGRAPHY
Area: 20,742 sq. km. (8,008 sq. mi.); about the size of Massachusetts.
Cities: Capital--San Salvador (pop. 2.2 million). Other cities--Santa Ana, San Miguel, Soyapango, and Apopa.
Terrain: Mountains separate country into three distinct regions--southern coastal belt, central valleys and plateaus, and northern mountains.
Climate: Semitropical, distinct wet and dry seasons. (*) (Top)
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GOVERNMENT
Type: Republic.
Constitution: December 20, 1983.
Independence: September 15, 1821.
Branches: Executive--president and vice president. Legislative--84-member Legislative Assembly. Judicial--independent (Supreme Court).
Administrative subdivisions: 14 departments.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
ECONOMY
GDP (2006): $18.57 billion; PPP GDP (2006): $38.62 billion (IMF estimate).
GDP annual real growth rate (2006): 4.2%.
Per capita income (2006): $2,656.90, PPP per capita income $5,514.97 (IMF estimate).
Agriculture (9.8% of GDP, 2006): Products--coffee, sugar, livestock, corn, poultry, and sorghum. Arable, cultivated, or pasture land--68% (2005).
Industry (21.2% of GDP, 2006): Types--textiles and apparel, medicines, food and beverage processing, clothing, chemical products, petroleum products, electronics.
Trade (2006): Exports--$3.5 billion: textiles and apparel, coffee, sugar, medicines, iron and steel products, tuna, light manufacturing, and paper products. Major markets--U.S. 57.1%, Central American Common Market (CACM) 29.2%. Imports--$7.6 billion: petroleum, iron products, machines and mechanical devices, cars, medicines, consumer goods, foodstuffs, capital goods, and raw industrial materials. Major suppliers--U.S. 40.46%, CACM 15.1%, Mexico 7.7%. (*) (Top)
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