THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. El Salvador is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs.

Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 21,041 sq km
land: 20,721 sq km
water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative: about the same size as New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 590 km
border countries: Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation: highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 442 m
Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 33% (2023 est.)
other: 9.3% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 240 sq km (2022)
Population distribution: high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
Geography - note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on the Caribbean Sea

Population: total: 6,334,723 (2025 est.)
male: 3,026,645
female: 3,308,078
Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Indigenous 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)
Languages: Languages: Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous)
major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.3% (male 855,841/female 818,642)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 2,077,745/female 2,317,416)
65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 238,658/female 320,400)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 29.9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 31.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 28.2 years
female: 31.2 years
Population growth rate: 0.34% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 12.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Urbanization: urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.4 years
female: 79.5 years
Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.68 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 21.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 1.62 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 2.94 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 7.8% (2025 est.)
male: 14.7% (2025 est.)
female: 1.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 50.7% (2021 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 4.3% (2021)
women married by age 18: 19.7% (2021)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 15.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 89.8% (2024 est.)
male: 91.6% (2024 est.)
female: 88.2% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 11 years (2023 est.)
male: 11 years (2023 est.)
female: 12 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Land use: agricultural land: 57.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 34.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 7.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 15.2% (2023 est.)
forest: 33% (2023 est.)
other: 9.3% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 8.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 7.745 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 948,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 23.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.649 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.2% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 433.229 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 94.316 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 1.411 billion cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 26.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador
local long form: República de El Salvador
local short form: El Salvador
etymology: means "the Savior" in Spanish and is a shortened form of "the Divine Savior of the World" (el Divino Salvador del Mundo), referring to Jesus Christ; 16th-century Spanish colonists gave the name "San Salvador" to the fort located where the country's capital of San Salvador now stands, and the name was later used for the city and the surrounding region; the country was officially named El Salvador in 1824
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: San Salvador
geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Spanish colonists founded the city in 1526 on the feast day of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Jesus Christ), and the name means "Holy Savior" in Spanish
Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapán, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlán, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazán, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulután
Legal system: civil law system with minor common law influence; Supreme Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution: history: many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983
amendment process: proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019)
head of government: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)
most recent election date: 4 February 2024
election results: 2024: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez reelected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (Nuevas Ideas) 84.7%, Manuel FLORES (FMLN) 6.4%, Joel SANCHEZ (ARENA) 5.6%, Luis PARADA (NT) 2%, other 1.3%2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.7%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.4%, other 0.8%
expected date of next election: 28 February 2027; note - on 31 July 2025, the Legislative Assembly voted to move the date of the next presidential election from 2029 to 2027 to bring the presidential election cycle in line with the three-year legislative and municipal election cycle
Legislative branch: legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Asamblea legislativa)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 60 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 3 years
most recent election date: 2/4/2024
parties elected and seats per party: New Ideas (N) (54); Other (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 31.7%
expected date of next election: February 2027
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers)
judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed
subordinate courts: Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace
Political parties: Christian Democratic Party or PDCFarabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLNGreat Alliance for National Unity or GANANational Coalition Party or PCNNationalist Republican Alliance or ARENANew Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NIOur Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NTVamos or V
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020)
chancery: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 595-7500
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3763
email address and website: infoEEUU@rree.gob.svhttps://rree.gob.sv/embajadas-consulados-y-misiones-permanentes-de-la-republica-de-el-salvador/
consulate(s) general: Aurora (CO), Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Doral (FL), Duluth (GA), El Paso (TX), Elizabeth (NJ), Fresno (CA), Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Laredo (TX), Long Island (NY), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, Omaha (NE), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Silver Spring (MD), Springdale (AR), St. Paul (MN), Tucson (AZ), Woodbridge (VA)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Naomi C. FELLOWS (since August 2025)
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address: 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450
telephone: [503] 2501-2999
FAX: [503] 2501-2150
email address and website: ACSSanSal@state.govhttps://sv.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Flag: description: three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a round emblem with the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL around itmeaning: the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land, as well as peace and prosperityhistory: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America
National symbol(s): turquoise-browed motmot (bird)
National color(s): blue, white
National anthem(s): title: "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador)
lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE
history: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at four minutes and 20 seconds, the anthem is one of the world's longest
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

Economic overview: upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $73.961 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $72.085 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $69.621 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $11,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $11,400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $11,100 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $35.365 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 0.9% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 7.2% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 4.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 22.4% (2024 est.)
services: 61% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 79.6% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 19.2% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 32.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -51.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023)
Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 2.89 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 6.7% (2024 est.)
male: 5.2% (2024 est.)
female: 9.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 26.6% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023: 39.8 (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 26.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 29.7% (2023 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 24% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 24.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 24.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $9.359 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $10.313 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2023: 102.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 20.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$632.549 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$367.831 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.144 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $11.586 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $10.629 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $10.164 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 36%, Guatemala 17%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 8%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: garments, plastic products, electrical capacitors, raw sugar, toilet paper (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $18.354 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $17.034 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $18.181 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 28%, China 15%, Guatemala 11%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, packaged medicine, plastics (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $3.705 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $3.079 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $2.695 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $12.668 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 2.803 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.335 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 140 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 750.096 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 770.613 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal: 24.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 14% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 500 metric tons (2022 est.)
imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 3 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 56,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: consumption: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 486.291 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 24.421 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 885,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 11.2 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio stations and 2 government-owned radio stations; transition to digital transmission was set to begin in 2018, along with adoption of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022)
Internet country code: .sv
Internet users: percent of population: 68% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 671,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YS
Airports: 27 (2025)
Railways: total: 12.5 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge
Merchant marine: total: 5 (2023)
by type: other 5
Ports: total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Acajutla, Acajutla Offshore Terminal, La Union

Military and security forces: The Armed Forces of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Naval Force of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Salvadoreña, FAS)Ministry of Justice and Public Safety: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 25,000 active FAES (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAES is lightly armed with an inventory of mostly older or secondhand arms and equipment, largely provided by the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (17-22 for military schools); men are subject to selective compulsory military service; service obligation up to 18 months (2025)
Military - note: the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) is responsible for defending national sovereignty and ensuring territorial integrity but also has considerable domestic security responsibilities; while the National Civil Police (PNC) are responsible for maintaining public security, the country’s constitution allows the president to use the FAES “in exceptional circumstances” to maintain internal peace and public security; in 2016, the government created a special joint unit of Army commandos and police to fight criminal gangs; more military personnel were devoted to internal security beginning in 2019 when President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat rising gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border securitythe military led the country for much of the 20th century; from 1980 to 1992, it fought a bloody civil war against guerrillas from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front or FMLN, the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Revolutionary Front (Frente Democrático Revolucionario), a coalition of left-wing dissident political groups backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union; the FAES received considerable US support during the conflict; significant human rights violations occurred during the war and approximately 75,000 Salvadorans, mostly civilians, were killed (2025)

Terrorist group(s): La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 392 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 35,391 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit countrymajor precursor-chemical producer (2025)

El Salvador