El Salvador

The smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, El Salvador adjoins the Pacific in a narrow coastal plain, backed by a volcanic mountain chain, and a fertile plateau. About 90 percent of Salvadorans are mestizo; 9 percent claim Spanish descent. The rich volcanic soils brought coffee plantations— with a few, rich landowners and a subjugated peasant population. Economic inequality led to the 1980-1992 civil war; many Salvadorans, rich and poor, fled to the United States. El Salvador’s democratic government shows success in adding manufacturing jobs—but faces the challenges of poverty, crime, and natural disasters.