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), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer),
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
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 H. Douglas BARCLAY
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

Economy - overview:
The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third
largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping
to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to
open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize
the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the
Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El
Salvador was the first to ratify, has strenthened an already
positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual
remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than
15% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as