m:
El Salvador
local long form:
Republica de El Salvador
local short form:
El Salvador
Digraph:
ES
Type:
republic
Capital:
San Salvador
Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan,
Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan,
San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Political parties and leaders:
National Republican Alliance (Arena), Armando CALDERON Sol, president;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Fidel CHAVEZ Mena, secretary general;
National Conciliation Party (PCN), Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, president; Democratic
Convergence (CD) is a coalition of three parties - the Social Democratic
Party (PSD), Carlos Diaz BARRERA, secretary general; Democratic Nationalist
Union (UDN), Mario AGUINADA Carranza, secretary general; and the Popular
Social Christian Movement (MPSC), Dr. Ruben Ignacio ZAMORA Rivas; Authentic
Christian Movement (MAC), Guillermo Antonia GUEVARA Lacayo, president;
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLM), Jorge Shafik HANDAL,
general coordinator, has five factions - Popular Liberation Forces (FPL),
Salvador SANCHEZ Ceren; Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN), Ferman
CIENFUEGOS; People's Revolutionary Army (ERP), Joaquin VILLA LOBOS Huezo;
Salvadoran Communist Party/Armed Forces of Liberation (PCES/FAL), Jorge
Shafik HANDAL; and
Central American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC)/Popular Liberation
Revolutionary Aermed Forces (FARLP), Francisco JOVEL
Other political or pressure groups:
FMLN labor front organizations:
National Union of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), leftist umbrella front group,
leads FMLN front network; National Federation of Salvadoran Workers
(FENASTRAS), best organized of front groups and controlled by FMLN's
National Resistance (RN); Social Security Institute Workers Union (STISSS),
one of the most militant fronts, is controlled by FMLN's Armed Forces of
National Resistance (FARN) and RN; Association of Telecommunications Workers
(ASTTEL); Unitary Federation of Salvadoran Un