Talk:History of El Salvador

message: this page could use some serious editing--the language seems to have been mistranslated in several places within the first several paragraphs.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.8.79.47 (talk • contribs) 8 November 2006.
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'hey im unknown hehehe'Bold text
:I have (temporarily) reverted the recent additions, which gave every appearance of being just a straight machine-translation of the spanish text in the es.wiki equivalent article. Generally machine translations such as this should be avoided, and they cause more work and difficulty to fix up the subtle and not-so-subtle errors (including those which are unintentionally amusing, eg "whose only city of in El Salvador was Expensive Dirty" ) when there is no guarantee that anyone will get around to correcting these any time soon. The imported wikilinks also refer to es.wiki articles, which either are spelled differently in en.wiki or may not exist at all.
:If material from the es.wiki equivalent is to be imported here, in order to avoid confusion and comments such as the anonymous one above I would suggest that the text first be placed on some temporary subpage, eg History of El Salvador/Translation, where it can be worked on separately without compromising the article. Then, as and when it is knocked into some sort of shape it can be transferred across here.
:While there's no doubt a fair amount of useful information in the import, none of it is accompanied by references and several elements seem a bit questionable, such as the Cuzcatlán becoming the Pipil capital and details of postclassic states and movements which are not as securely known as the tone of the text implies. If it is to be added here then it would be preferable IMO to identify also the sources/corroborating information.--cjllw | TALK 05:23, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Translation of text from es.wiki

message: Legend: Definition Field Listing Rank Order    Introduction    El Salvador Top of Page  
Background:   
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.  
   Geography    El Salvador Top of Page  
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:    
total: 21,040 sq km 
land: 20,720 sq km 
water: 320 sq km  
Area - comparative:   
slightly smaller than Massachusetts  
Land boundaries:   
total: 545 km 
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km  
Coastline:   
307 km  
Maritime claims:   
territorial sea: 12 nm 
contiguous zone: 24 nm 
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm  
Climate:   
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands  
Terrain:   
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau  
Elevation extremes:   
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m 
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m  
Natural resources:   
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land  
Land use:   
arable land: 31.37% 
permanent crops: 11.88% 
other: 56.75% (2005)  
Irrigated land:   
450 sq km (2003)  
Total renewable water resources:   
25.2 cu km (2001)  
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):   
Total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%) 
Per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)  
Natural hazards:   
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes  
Environment - current issues:   
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes  
Environment - international agreements:   
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  
Geography - note:   
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea  
   People    El Salvador Top of Page  
Population:    
6,948,073 (July 2007 est.)  
Age structure:   
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 1,281,889/female 1,228,478) 
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,942,674/female 2,134,154) 
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 158,276/female 202,602) (2007 est.)  
Median age:   
total: 22 years 
male: 20.9 years 
female: 23.2 years (2007 est.)  
Population growth rate:   
1.699% (2007 est.)  
Birth rate:    
26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)  
Death rate:    
5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)  
Net migration rate:   
-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)  
Sex ratio:   
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 0.781 male(s)/female 
total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.)  
Infant mortality rate:    
total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births 
male: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births 
female: 19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)  
Life expectancy at birth:    
total population: 71.78 years 
male: 68.18 years 
female: 75.57 years (2007 est.)  
Total fertility rate:    
3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)  
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:    
0.7% (2003 est.)  
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:    
29,000 (2003 est.)  
HIV/AIDS - deaths:    
2,200 (2003 est.)  
Nationality:   
noun: Salvadoran(s) 
adjective: Salvadoran  
Ethnic groups:   
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%  
Religions:   
Roman Catholic 83%, other 17% 
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  
Languages:   
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)  
Literacy:   
definition: age 10 and over can read and write 
total population: 80.2% 
male: 82.8% 
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)  
   Government    El Salvador Top of Page  
Country name:   
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador 
conventional short form: El Salvador 
local long form: Republica de El Salvador 
local short form: El Salvador  
Government type:   
republic  
Capital:   
name: San Salvador 
geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W 
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)  
Administrative divisions:   
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan  
Independence:   
15 September 1821 (from Spain)  
National holiday:   
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)  
Constitution:   
20 December 1983  
Legal system:   
based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court  
Suffrage:   
18 years of age; universal  
Executive branch:   
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government 
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004) 
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president 
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009) 
election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%  
Legislative branch:   
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms) 
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009) 
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2  
Judicial branch:   
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative conflict)  
Political parties and leaders:   
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]  
Political pressure groups and leaders:   
labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI  
International organization participation:   
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO  
Diplomatic representation in the US:   
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez 
chancery: 1400 16th Street, Washington, DC 20036 
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 
FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC 
consulate(s): Boston  
Diplomatic representation from the US:   
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER 
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador 
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 
telephone: [503] 2278-4444 
FAX: [503] 2278-5522  
Flag description:   
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band  
   Economy    El Salvador Top of Page  
Economy - overview:   
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been modest in recent years. Robust growth in non-traditional exports have offset declines in the maquila exports, while remittances and external aid offset the trade deficit from high oil prices and strong import demand for consumer and intermediate goods.. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism through tax incentives. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.  
GDP (purchasing power parity):    
$35.97 billion (2007 est.)  
GDP (official exchange rate):   
$16.06 billion (2007 est.)  
GDP - real growth rate:    
3.4% (2007 est.)  
GDP - per capita (PPP):    
$5,200 (2007 est.)  
GDP - composition by sector:   
agriculture: 10.2% 
industry: 29.3% 
services: 60.5% (2007 est.)  
Labor force:    
2.913 million (2007 est.)  
Labor force - by occupation:   
agriculture: 19% 
industry: 23% 
services: 58% (2006 est.)  
Unemployment rate:    
6.2% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2007 est.)  
Population below poverty line:   
35.2% (2005 est.)  
Household income or consumption by percentage share:   
lowest 10%: 0.7% 
highest 10%: 38.8% (2002)  
Distribution of family income - Gini index:   
52.4 (2002)  
Inflation rate (consumer prices):    
4.3% (2007 est.)  
Investment (gross fixed):    
17% of GDP (2007 est.)  
Budget:   
revenues: $3.464 billion 
expenditures: $3.605 billion (2007 est.)  
Public debt:    
38.3% of GDP (2007 est.)  
Agriculture - products:   
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp  
Industries:   
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals  
Industrial production growth rate:    
2% (2007 est.)  
Electricity - production:    
5.293 billion kWh (2006)  
Electricity - consumption:    
5.204 billion kWh (2006)  
Electricity - exports:   
95.5 million kWh (2006)  
Electricity - imports:   
322 million kWh (2005)  
Oil - production:    
0 bbl/day (2005)  
Oil - consumption:    
43,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)  
Oil - exports:    
5,194 bbl/day (2004)  
Oil - imports:    
47,310 bbl/day (2004)  
Oil - proved reserves:    
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)  
Natural gas - production:    
0 cu m (2005 est.)  
Natural gas - consumption:    
0 cu m (2005 est.)  
Natural gas - exports:    
0 cu m (2005 est.)  
Natural gas - imports:    
0 cu m (2005)  
Natural gas - proved reserves:    
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)  
Current account balance:    
-$929 million (2007 est.)  
Exports:    
$3.96 billion (2007 est.)  
Exports - commodities:   
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity  
Exports - partners:   
US 49.6%, Guatemala 14.4%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5% (2006)  
Imports:    
$8.099 billion (2007 est.)  
Imports - commodities:   
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity  
Imports - partners:   
US 32.2%, Guatemala 9.3%, Mexico 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, China 4.7% (2006)  
Economic aid - recipient:   
$199.4 million of which $55 million from US (2005)  
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:    
$2.314 billion (31 December 2007 est.)  
Debt - external:    
$9.991 billion (30 June 2007)  
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:    
$4.377 billion (2006 est.)  
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:    
$293 million (2006 est.)  
Market value of publicly traded shares:    
$3.623 billion (2005)  
Currency (code):   
US dollar (USD)  
Exchange rates:   
the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001  
Fiscal year:   
calendar year  
   Communications    El Salvador Top of Page  
Telephones - main lines in use:    
1.037 million (2006)  
Telephones - mobile cellular:    
3.852 million (2006)  
Telephone system:   
general assessment: the four mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2006 mobile-cellular density stood at roughly 55 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition 
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system 
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System  
Radio broadcast stations:   
AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)  
Television broadcast stations:   
5 (1997)  
Internet country code:   
.sv  
Internet hosts:    
12,519 (2007)  
Internet users:    
637,000 (2005)  
   Transportation    El Salvador Top of Page  
Airports:    
65 (2007)  
Airports - with paved runways:   
total: 4 
over 3,047 m: 1 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)  
Airports - with unpaved runways:   
total: 61 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 
914 to 1,523 m: 12 
under 914 m: 48 (2007)  
Heliports:   
1 (2007)  
Railways:    
total: 562 km 
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge 
note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)  
Roadways:    
total: 10,886 km 
paved: 2,827 km 
unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)  
Waterways:    
Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)  
Ports and terminals:   
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco  
   Military    El Salvador Top of Page  
Military branches:   
Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)  
Military service age and obligation:   
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month service obligation (2006)  
Manpower available for military service:   
males age 18-49: 1,391,278 
females age 18-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.)  
Manpower fit for military service:   
males age 18-49: 960,315 
females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)  
Manpower reaching military service age annually:   
males age 18-49: 70,286 
females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)  
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:    
5% (2006)  
   Transnational Issues    El Salvador Top of Page  
Disputes - international:   
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca  
Illicit drugs:   
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.96.164.219 (talk) 18:56, 1 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Text copied from some other website which was in the article 

message: This short section contains many inaccuracies, although the Pipil were Nahua and did settle the region, some of those sites were Maya. And the Pipil certainly did not abolish human sacrifice, if the monuments from the Cotzumalhuapa sites in Guatemala are anything to go by. Simon Burchell (talk) 14:48, 21 February 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Since there are no sources for that section (or most of the article for that matter) and it does appear to be at odds with what little information is in the Pipil article itself, I'd suggest that you go ahead and remove or rewrite it to be more accurate, since you clearly have at least some knowledge of the subject. VernoWhitney (talk) 02:26, 22 February 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Before the Spanish Conquest