El Salvador

Overview

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America and the only one without a Caribbean coastline, opening only onto the Pacific Ocean, bordered by Guatemala and Honduras. The country's name, Spanish for "the Savior," was given to the territory by Spanish colonizers. El Salvador endured a severe civil war between 1980 and 1992, which claimed the lives of about 75,000 people, ending with a UN-brokered peace agreement. In recent years, the country's security situation has improved significantly following a controversial, hardline government anti-gang policy, which has also helped spur a tourism revival. The official language is Spanish, and most of the population is Mestizo.

San Salvador, the capital, repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, is home to the National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral, where the grave of Archbishop Óscar Romero, a human rights activist assassinated during the civil war, is also located, serving as the country's political and religious center. Joya de Cerén, a Maya village buried by a volcanic eruption around 600 AD, preserved traces of everyday Maya life in exceptionally good condition, earning it the nickname "the Pompeii of Central America," and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. The Ruta de las Flores, a scenic route through the western coffee-growing region, with small towns and flowering landscapes, is a popular destination for domestic tourism. Santa Ana Volcano, the country's highest peak, features a hiking trail to its crater, where a turquoise, acidic crater lake can be seen.

El Salvador's Pacific coastline, particularly around El Tunco and El Zonte, has become internationally known within the surfing community for its consistent waves, making surf tourism one of the country's fastest-growing tourism sectors. The country's volcanic chain, comprising about 20 volcanoes, offers excellent terrain for hiking, and Izalco Volcano, once known as the "Lighthouse of the Pacific" for its constant activity, remains a popular hiking destination even in its now-dormant state. El Imposible National Park, in the western part of the country, with rainforest terrain and endemic species, is the main destination for inland ecotourism. Local cuisine is built around corn and beans, with the pupusa, a stuffed corn flatbread, regarded as the country's national dish.