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: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 21,041 sq km
country comparison to the world: 153
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land:
20,721 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water:
320 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
total: 545 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries:
Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
307 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
More Climate Details
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point:
Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
arable land: 31.37%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops:
11.88%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other:
56.75% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
450 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
25.2 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita:
186 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
volcanism:
El Salvador experiences significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m, 6,211 ft), 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 (elev. 2,130 m, 6,988 ft), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea