El Salvador's name still evokes images of the brutal civil war fought throughout the 1980s in the tangle of mountains and farmlands that quilt the smallest country in Central America. The war, however, is over and the most turbulent aspect of El Salvador today is thankfully just its volcanic landscape.
Unlike its neighbors, El Salvador is not geared to independent travelers. What it does offer is a whole new experience of watching a country strive to redefine itself. Organizations from the US, Europe and Australia are helping to rebuild El Salvador through programs devoted to education, agricultural reform, reforestation, human rights and health care. Participating in these developments and talking to the locals about their experiences and hopes is one of the most productive ways to visit.
Full country name: Republic of El Salvador
Area: 20,752 sq km (8093 sq mi)
Population: 6,122,515 (growth rate 2.3%)
Capital city: San Salvador (pop 1 million)
People: 94% mestizo (Spanish-Indian), 5% Indian, 1% European descent
Language: Spanish, some Nahua
Religion: 75% Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant
Government: Republic
President: Francisco Guillermo Flores Pérez
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