Capital: San Salvador
Location:
Middle America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras (slightly smaller than Massachusetts)
Registration Embassy and Consulate:
Americans living in or visiting El Salvador are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in the capital city, San Salvador, and obtain updated information on travel and security in El Salvador and neighboring countries. The U.S. Embassy is located at Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Urbanizacion Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador; telephone 011-503-278-4444. The Embassy's web site can be accessed at http://www.usinfo.org.sv. The Consular Section provides services for U.S. citizens from 8:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on normal Embassy work days.
Background:
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost the lives of some 75,000 people, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
Ethnic Groups:
Mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%
Language:
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Currency:
SVC; USD
Salvadoran colon (SVC); US dollar (USD)
Salvadoran colones per US dollar - 8.755 (fixed rate since 1993)
Climate:
Tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Population:
6,237,662 (July 2001 est.)
Religion:
Roman Catholic 86%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Medical:
Medical care is limited. Emergency facilities, even in San Salvador, are very basic. Ambulance services are not staffed by trained personnel and lack life-saving necessities such as oxygen. Physicians at major hospitals, who are often trained in U.S. hospitals, are generally competent, but nursing and support staff are not up to U.S. standards. State-of-the-art technology for dealing with life-threatening emergencies is rarely available. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Most hospitals accept credit cards for hospital charges but not for doctors' fees.
The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. U.S. medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services such as medical evacuations.
Safety:
The U.S. Embassy warns its personnel to drive with their doors locked and windows raised, to avoid travel outside of major metropolitan areas after dark, and to avoid travel on unpaved roads at all times because of random banditry, carjackings, kidnappings, criminal assaults and lack of police and road service facilities. Most fatal traffic accidents or robberies and assaults occur during the evening or early morning hours. Travelers with conspicuous amounts of luggage, late-model cars or foreign license plates are particularly vulnerable, even in the capital.
Demonstrations, sit-ins or other related protests may occur at any time and anywhere in the country, but most frequently in the capital or on the main access roads. U.S. citizens are cautioned to avoid areas where demonstrations are being held and to follow local news media reports or call the U.S. Embassy for up-to-date information.
Many Salvadorans are armed and shootouts are not uncommon. Foreigners, however, may not carry guns even for their own protection without first procuring a firearms license from Salvadoran officials. Failure to do so will result in detention and confiscation of the firearm, even if it is licensed in the United States.
Mine removal efforts ceased several years ago, but land mines and unexploded ordnance in backcountry regions still pose a threat to off-road tourists, backpackers and campers.
Visitors to the beach areas of El Salvador should use caution when swimming in the Pacific Ocean due to strong undertow currents along much of the coast.
Traffic Safety:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning El Salvador is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstances.
Safety of public transportation:
Poor
Urban road conditions/maintenance:
Fair
Rural road conditions/maintenance:
Poor
Availability of roadside assistance:
Poor
Road conditions throughout the country are not up to U.S. standards. Mini-buses, buses and taxis are often poorly maintained. Drivers are often not trained and generally do not adhere to traffic rules and regulations. The U.S. Embassy recommends that its personnel avoid using mini-buses and buses and use only taxis that are radio-dispatched. Robberies and assaults on buses are commonplace.
Because of a near complete lack of enforcement of traffic laws in El Salvador, drivers must make an extraordinary effort to drive defensively. Traffic signals are often ignored, and passing on blind corners is common. Nevertheless, local authorities uniformly enforce a Salvadoran law that requires the arrest or detention of a driver who injures or kills another person until a judge determines responsibility for the accident.
