Most of the country is volcanic uplands, along which run two almost parallel rows of volcanoes. Volcanic activity has resulted in a thick layer of ash and lava on the highlands, ideal for coffee planting.
Lowlands lie to the north and south of the high backbone.
The Pipil tribe who occupied the region that is now El Salvador put up strong resistance to the 1524 Spanish expedition led by Pedro de Alvarado. By the following year, however, the Spanish had prevailed and established a settlement named San Salvador near the Pipil capital of Cuscatlan. The territory of El Salvador became part of the captaincy-general of Guatemala. When the independence of Guatemala was accepted by the Spanish in 1821, El Salvador accepted its new status, but objected strongly to the Guatemalans' plan to incoporate into the Mexican empire. Founded by the Spaniard Pedro De Alvarado in 1525, the city is a blend of modern buildings and colonial architecture, broad plazas and monuments, amusement parks and shopping centres.