El Salvador: Geography#
Location | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras |
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Geographic Coordinates | 13 50 N, 88 55 W 13.833333,-88.916664 |
Area | total: 21,041 sq km land: 20,721 sq km water: 320 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
Land boundaries | total: 590 km border countries: Guatemala 199 km, Honduras 391 km |
Coastline | 307 km |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m |
Highest Mountains | Due to difference in mountain rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Cerro El Pital 2730 m According to Geonames: Volcan de Guazapa 1438 m Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau |
Natural Hazards | known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m), 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), 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 |
Natural Resource | hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land |
Land Use | arable land: 31.61% permanent crops: 10.93% other: 57.46% (2011) |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands |
Irrigated Land | 449.9 sq km (2003) |
Renewable Water Resources | 25.23 cu km (2011) |
Environment_CurrentIssues | 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 |
Large Cities | San Salvador; Soyapango; Santa Ana; San Miguel; Mejicanos [Verified] Important Cities |
Geography-note | smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea |