El Salvador

República de El Salvador

Political Status: Part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala that declared independence from Spain in September 1821; member of the United Provinces of Central America that was launched in 1823; status as independent political entity formalized in constitution of 1841; Republic of El Salvador formally established in constitution of 1859; constitution of 1962 suspended following military coup of October 15, 1979; provisional government superseded following promulgation of new constitution on December 20, 1983; peace treaty with FMLN guerrillas (effective February 1) signed January 16, 1992.

Area: 8,124 sq. mi. (21,041 sq. km.).

Population: 5,118,599 (1992C); 6,996,000 (2006E). The 1992 figure is unadjusted for underenumeration.

Major Urban Centers (2005E): SAN SALVADOR (508,000), Soyapango (295,000), Mejicanos (189,000), San Miguel (183,000), Santa Ana (179,000).

Official Language: ...