[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mapa-de-el-salvador_5000.png]]
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador ('''Spanish:''' ''República de El Salvador''), is a little Central American country squeezed right between UsefulNotes/{{Honduras}}, UsefulNotes/{{Guatemala}} and the Pacific Ocean. The country's name is Spanish for "The Savior", and is derived from the capital city, San Salvador, named by conquistador Gonzalo de Alvarado after one of UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}'s titles, the Divine Savior of the World (''Divino Salvador del Mundo'').
Before European colonization, the land that would become El Salvador was the location of the Pipil kingdom of Cuzcatlan, which rose in the 13th century. The Pipils are a Nahua people, and they are theorized to be descendants of Toltecs who emigrated from UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} in the 10th century, becoming influenced by the indigenous Maya and Lenca people in the process. Cuzcatlan's capital city was located in present-day San Salvador, nearby the San Salvador volcano (which was once known as Quezaltepeque).
In 1524, Gonzalo de Alvarado was sent by Hernán Cortés to subdue the Pipils, which he ultimately did, although indigenous resistance would continue until the 1530s. Following the conquest, the land was administered through the Captaincy General of Guatemala, under the Viceroyalty of New Spain. When Mexico declared independence in 1821, its territories encompassed not only Mexico, but also UsefulNotes/CostaRica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and UsefulNotes/{{Nicaragua}}, as well. However, those countries decided that they didn't like this arrangement, chief of all El Salvador, which was often regarded as the birthplace of Central American independence (San Salvador witnessed a 1811 failed revolt led by prominent Salvadoran figure José Matías Delgado). After Emperor Agustín de Iturbide was deposed, the Mexican republicans elected to allow the other countries to secede. They did, and formed a federation called the Federal Republic of Central America. 18 years and two civil wars later, they decided that they didn't like ''this'' arrangement, as well, and the federation broke apart in 1841.
Since then, El Salvador has faced similar struggles to its neighbors, such as economical problems and military coups. From independence until the mid-20th century, the country was effectively an oligarchy dominated by the Fourteen Families, which owned corporations that dominated the economy. The corporations still exist to this day, and they are still economically influential (though politically less so). While Central America is best known for being the region of {{Banana Republic}}s, in El Salvador, it's more of a ''Coffee'' Republic, since the crop is grown in large amounts there.
In 1931, the military deposed the democratically elected President Arturo Araujo, with his Vice-President, Brigadier General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez, replacing his role. A communist Pipil rebellion was brutally crushed in the 1932 La Matanza killings, an act that led to the United States to recognize the new regime (they were reluctant before then, since El Salvador was a signatory to the 1923 Central American Treaty of Peace and Amity, which forbade recognition of illegitimate governments). In 1969, the country was embroiled in the infamously-named [[UsefulNotes/TheFootballWar Football War]] against Honduras, which, contrary to its name, was caused less by [[SillyReasonForWar football politics]] and more about immigration (Honduras has a large community of Salvadorans) and territorial disputes surrounding the Gulf of Fonseca. The military victory was won by El Salvador, who almost reached Tegucigalpa (Honduras' capital) before their supply lines collapsed, which caused their entire advance to stall. This benefited Honduras as the Organization of American States forced both nations to stop the fighting and El Salvador not only was forced to withdraw its forces, but also they had to take in hundreds of thousands of refugees, giving Honduras a victory-by-default.
In 1979, the military government was deposed by a group of young army officers who were interested to share power with a civilian government. The reason for the coup had to do with the political loss of the Football War as well as the issues regarding refugees from Honduras. The country then collapsed into [[UsefulNotes/TheSalvadoranCivilWar a civil war that only ended in 1992]]. The considerable number of Salvadorans that fled to the United States during the civil war has made El Salvador politically, culturally and economically dependent on the United States due to family remittances, exports and imports, leading to the two major political parties; the right-wing ARENA, and the left-wing FMLN, being generally pro-United States, no matter the current administration. El Salvador also officially adopted the U.S. dollar in 2001. Many Salvadoran migrants in the United States created and joined criminal gangs, including the feared [=MS13=] and 18th Street Gangs. Under President UsefulNotes/BillClinton, these gangs, alongside thousands of Salvadorans, were deported to El Salvador, causing chaos and anarchy for much of the 1990s and 2000s, to the point that El Salvador was known as the "murder capital of the world". Criminality was temporarily reduced during the gang truce between 2012 to 2014, rose again after the truce collapsed, steadily decreased after its 2015 peak (when the country had a homicide rate of 106 per 100,000 people), then ''drastically'' reduced after President Nayib Bukele (who won mostly through his tough-on-crime campaign) took power in 2018. By 2023, El Salvador actually had a lower homicide rate than the United States, and the government's methods on clamping down crime have been quietly copied by its Latin American neighbors (including as far away as UsefulNotes/{{Uruguay}}).
By virtue of its close U.S. relations, El Salvador was one of the countries that sent troops to UsefulNotes/{{Iraq}} during UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror from 2004 to 2008, being the only Central American country to do so, and it was also one of the last forces to leave Iraq after the occupation ended. In addition, it was one of the few countries in the world to recognize UsefulNotes/{{Taiwan}} rather than UsefulNotes/{{China}}, until President Salvador Sanchez Ceren announced in 2018 that they would ditch Taiwan in favor of China. [[note]](The Taiwanese government claims that they cut ties with El Salvador after the F.M.L.N. government wanted the Taiwanese government to heavily invest in Puerto La Unión, a coastal port built in the Salvadoran part of the Gulf of Fonseca (a gulf shared with Honduras and Nicaragua), a port that many analysts considers to be a waste of infrastructure and money.)[[/note]]
One curious (so to speak) detail about El Salvador is that it’s the only country in the region without an African population. This is because it has no coast on the Atlantic and the fact that a dictator in the 1930s issued race laws prohibiting the entry of Africans, UsefulNotes/{{Romani}}, Arabs, Asians and others to the country. This has led to the country being overwhelmingly mestizo (people of both European and Native American descent). That said, the country has a significant population of Palestinian Arabs (though they are almost entirely Christians rather than Muslims), with current President Bukele being a member of this community.
In 2021, El Salvador adopted UsefulNotes/{{Bitcoin}} as a legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar, making it the first country in the world to do so. Reactions from the international world are mostly negative, noting the Bitcoin's volatility and environmental impact. The International Monetary Fund urged the country to abandon the venture in 2022, saying that it would make it less likely for the organization to grant a previously-agreed $1.3 billion loan to the country.
If you know El Salvador from American media, then the only things you know are probably about lurid tales of BananaRepublic, gangs, and criminality. Then again, Americans regard the entire Latin America that way.
!!Departments
!!!Western
* Santa Ana (second most important department)
* Sonsonate
* Ahuachapán
!!!Central
* San Salvador (Capital)
* Cuscatlán
* La Libertad
* Chalatenango
* Cabañas
* San Vicente
* La Paz
!!!Eastern
* San Miguel (third most important deparment)
* La Union
* Usulutan
* Morazan
!!The Capital
The Capital of El Salvador; San Salvador City [[note]](originally named ''Great San Salvador'' but after a few near-apocalyptic earthquakes...)[[/note]], is situated in the middle of the country in the Valley of the Hammocks; a very mountainous and windy area often affected by earthquakes (thus the name). The city itself has been described as a miniature Los Angeles (it's officially a sister city) built in a green valley rather than a dry desert. Nearly all the international commerce and investment is done there.
The city is divided by sectors; corporate, industrial and commercial. In between there are a combination of middle-class and lower middle-class neighborhoods and parks with the poorer neighborhoods mostly being separated or in the mountainous areas close to the entrances to the city proper.
One sector of the city is called ''Antiguo Cuscatlan'' (Old Cuscatlan a.k.a Old Jeweled City), a reference to the ancient civilization of Cuzcatlan. The neighboring La Libertad Department (State) where the United States' citadel embassy is located, one of the biggest embassies in the continent.
!!Notable Salvadorans and people of Salvadoran descent:
* Bernard Lewinsky, physician and researcher, was born in El Salvador to Jewish parents, but moved to the U.S. as a teenager. Father of Monica Lewinsky, AKA the woman of "[[UsefulNotes/BillClinton I did not have sexual relations with that woman]]".
* Pete Sandoval (Pedro Rigoberto Sandoval), drummer of death metal bands Music/MorbidAngel and Terrorizer.
* DJ Keoki, real name George Lopez (not [[Creator/GeorgeLopez that one]]), was born and lived in El Salvador until he was 8.
* American model Christy Turlington.
* Creator/JDPardo was born in Los Angeles to an Argentine father and a Salvadoran mother.
* Creator/LissethChavez, best known for ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow''.
* Creator/VivienneMedrano, creator of ''Webcomic/{{Zoophobia}}'', ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'', and ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss''.
!! Some examples of El Salvador appearing or being mentioned are:
* A BananaRepublic version of El Salvador is the setting of an 80's ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'' story.
* San Miguel appeared in a 1993 ''[[ComicBook/XMen Uncanny X-Men]]'' story.
* The movie ''Film/{{Salvador}}'' is about a jornalist played by Creator/JamesWoods traveling to El Salvador just before the start of the Civil War and how he attempts to get the truth out of the country and into the United States.
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: The Salvadoran flag ]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_el_salvador.png]]
->The flag's blue and white stripes allude to its past affiliation with the Federal Republic of Central America. At the center is the coat-of-arms.
----
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Coat of arms of El Salvador ]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/coat_of_arms_of_el_salvador.png]]
->The coat-of-arms recalls the Federal Republic's triangular seal containing five mountains on a sea (symbolizing its five member states), above which is the Phrygian cap of liberty and the rainbow of peace. Behind the seal are five flags (also recalling the Federal Republic), and is surrounded by a garland of fourteen laurel branches, representing the country's Departments: Ahuachapán, Cabañas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlán, La Libertad, La Paz, La Unión, Morazán, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate and Usulután.
----
[[/folder]]
[[folder: The Salvadoran national anthem ]]
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->De la paz en la dicha suprema,
->Siempre noble soñó El Salvador;
->Fue obtenerla su eterno problema,
->Conservarla es su gloria mayor.
->Y con fe inquebrantable el camino
->Del progreso se afana en seguir
->Por llenar su grandioso destino,
->Conquistarse un feliz porvenir.
->Le protege una férrea barrera
->Contra el choque de ruin deslealtad,
->Desde el día que en su alta bandera
->Con su sangre escribió: ¡LIBERTAD!
->Escribió: ¡LIBERTAD!
->Escribió: ¡LIBERTAD!
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Libertad es su dogma, es su guía
->Que mil veces logró defender;
->Y otras tantas, de audaz tiranía
->Rechazar el odioso poder.
->Dolorosa y sangrienta es su historia,
->Pero excelsa y brillante a la vez;
->Manantial de legítima gloria,
->Gran lección de espartana altivez.
->No desmaya en su innata bravura,
->En cada hombre hay un héroe inmortal
->Que sabrá mantenerse a la altura
->De su antiguo valor proverbial.
->Valor proverbial.
->Valor proverbial.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Todos son abnegados, y fieles
->Al prestigio del bélico ardor
->Con que siempre segaron laureles
->De la patria salvando el honor.
->Respetar los derechos extraños
->Y apoyarse en la recta razón
->Es para ella, sin torpes amaños
->Su invariable, más firme ambición.
->Y en seguir esta línea se aferra
->Dedicando su esfuerzo tenaz,
->En hacer cruda guerra a la guerra:
->Su ventura se encuentra en la paz.
->Se encuentra en la paz.
->Se encuentra en la paz.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Saludemos la patria orgullosos
->de hijos suyos podernos llamar
->y juremos la vida animosos,
->sin descanso a su bien consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
->Consagrar, consagrar.
--
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Of the peace in the supreme happiness
->Ever noble El Salvador dreamed
->To achieve this has been Her eternal proposition,
->To keep it, Her greatest glory.
->And with unwavering faith, the path of progress
->She strives to follow, to follow
->To fulfil Her greatest destiny
->And conquer a happy future.
->A stern barrier protects Her
->Against the clash of vile disloyalty,
->Ever since the day when Her soaring Flag,
->Wrote "LIBERTY!" with Its blood.
->Wrote: LIBERTY!
->Wrote: LIBERTY!
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Freedom is Her dogma and Her guide;
->A thousand times She has managed to defend it,
->And as many times She repelled
->The hateful power of atrocious tyranny.
->bloody and sad her story is,
->Yet at the same time sublime and brilliant,
->A source of legitimate glory
->And a great lesson in spartan pride.
->Her innate bravery does not waver:
->In every man there is an immortal hero
->Who will know how to keep himself up to
->The proverbial value of old.
->Proverbial value.
->Proverbial value.
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->All are devoted and faithful
->To the tradition of warlike bravery
->With which they have always reaped fame
->By saving the Motherland's honour.
->To respect the rights of others
->And base Her actions on right and justice
->Is for Her, without infamous trickery,
->The constant and most firm ambition.
->And in following this line She persists,
->Dedicating her tenacious efforts
->In waging hard war to war;
->Her fortune is found in peace.
->Is found in peace.
->Is found in peace.
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Let us salute the Fatherland,
->Proud to be called its children,
->And let us spiritedly swear our lives
->To consecrate its good without rest!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
->Consecrate, consecrate!
----
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Government ]]
* Unitary presidential constitutional republic
** President: Nayib Bukele
** Vice President: Félix Ulloa
----
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Miscellaneous ]]
* '''Capital and largest city:''' San Salvador
* '''Population:''' 6,825,935 (2020)
* '''Area:''' 21,041 sq km (8,124 sq mi) (148th)
* '''Currency''': United States dollar ($) (USD), Bitcoin (₿) (BTC) [[note]]became legal tender alongside the dollar on September 7, 2021[[/note]]
* '''ISO-3166-1 Code:''' SV
* '''Country calling code:''' 503
* '''Highest point:''' Cerro El Pital (2730 m/8,957 ft) (81st)
* '''Lowest point:''' Pacific Ocean (10,911 m/35,797 ft) (-)