Does anyone know anything about El Salvador?

- EDITED -

This is some of my personal experiences living in El Salvador:

We love going out dancing, to concerts, meeting with friends, eating out. We love seafood, and spend a lot of time at the beach. (click on the first link below for a slide show of some of the things we do for fun!)

We are now in Lent (Semana Santa), and spend a lot of time in church (the country is 90% catholic, and as such, is very church oriented).

Surfing has now come into our culture, and many of us enjoy riding waves. El Salvador has some of the best surfing beaches in the world.

We are avid sports fans, and are open to many sports, including Polo, swimming, boxing, judo, basketball, baseball, etc. As with most of the countries around the world, Soccer is our national sport.

Gardening is very much enjoyed, and you will often see people who live in apartments that will have a few potted plants that they fiercely take care of.

There are also the local fiestas (celebrations), celebrating local saints, cities, holidays. We even have our own Carnival (El Carnaval de San Miguel).

We are a poor but proud people. We share what we have, and embrace those around us. We are hardworking, and dedicated.

I feel a void in my heart when those who visit El Salvador can not get past the gangs (as if we were the ones to have invented the concept of gangs) and poverty. They come to El Salvador and see how different from their lives things are but fail to see the beauty of the people. Instead of respecting the differences, they criticize them. It is a great shame.

I hope things change.

Had a civil war which lasted 12 years (1980-1992). Peace Accords were signed in Mexico on January 16, 1992

Its the smallest country in Central America (slightly smaller than the US state of Massachusetts)

Despite its small size, it has the third largest economy in Central America

El Salvador's offical language is Spanish

Its the only Latin American country that has troops in Iraq

It has used the US dollar as its main currency since 2001

Prior to this El Salvador's currency was the Colon

The Colon is/was worth 8.75 for ever 1 US dollar

The country's minumum wage is US$120-150 a month

It's made up of 14 States/Departments

It's the only Central American country that does not have a Caribbean coastline

The biggest Shopping centre in all of of Central America is located in El Salvador's capital, San Salvador

It was involved in an infamous 100 hour war with neighbouring Honduras in 1969, after a soccer game

It has a total of 21 active Volcanos

One of these Volcanos had a minor eruption on October 1, 2005. Spewing up clouds of ash and rocks, its effect reached nearby villages and caused two deaths

El Salvador has the largest airport in all of Central America

Gained its independace from Spain on September 15, 1821

Is frequently hit by earthqakes, the last big one being on January 13, 2001. Earthquake was marked at 7.6 on the Richter Scale

Is part of CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) which has trade with the USA

Has some of the best surfing beaches in the world

90% of Salvadorans are mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish/European)

Oliver Stone directed a movie called "Salvador" and focus on its 12 year Civil war. The movie is critically acclaimed as one of Stone's best, and was nominated for an Oscar (BTW - nobody calls it Salvador. It's El Salvador.)

Many Salvadoreans have fled for various reasons to the United States. Its estimated that around 2-3 million live in the US

Its the most densely populated country in all of the Americas

Unlike many countries that have four season ever year, El Salvador only has 2. The wet and dry seasons, which run from May to October and November to April, respectively

Many notable Salvadorean people are from Palastinan decent

The country name, El Salvador, literally means "the savior" (as in our Lord The Savior, Jesus Christ) in spanish

El Salvador is part of what was the Mayan Empire. The Mayan Empire didn't go any further south after El Salvador

It has many Mayan and Pipil ruins including some pyramids

El Salvador's national dish is called a "Pupusa"
- EDITED -

This is some of my personal experiences living in El Salvador:

We love going out dancing, to concerts, meeting with friends, eating out. We love seafood, and spend a lot of time at the beach. (click on the first link below for a slide show of some of the things we do for fun!)

We are now in Lent (Semana Santa), and spend a lot of time in church (the country is 90% catholic, and as such, is very church oriented).

Surfing has now come into our culture, and many of us enjoy riding waves. El Salvador has some of the best surfing beaches in the world.

We are avid sports fans, and are open to many sports, including Polo, swimming, boxing, judo, basketball, baseball, etc. As with most of the countries around the world, Soccer is our national sport.

Gardening is very much enjoyed, and you will often see people who live in apartments that will have a few potted plants that they fiercely take care of.

There are also the local fiestas (celebrations), celebrating local saints, cities, holidays. We even have our own Carnival (El Carnaval de San Miguel).

We are a poor but proud people. We share what we have, and embrace those around us. We are hardworking, and dedicated.

I feel a void in my heart when those who visit El Salvador can not get past the gangs (as if we were the ones to have invented the concept of gangs) and poverty. They come to El Salvador and see how different from their lives things are but fail to see the beauty of the people. Instead of respecting the differences, they criticize them. It is a great shame.

I hope things change.

Had a civil war which lasted 12 years (1980-1992). Peace Accords were signed in Mexico on January 16, 1992

Its the smallest country in Central America (slightly smaller than the US state of Massachusetts)

Despite its small size, it has the third largest economy in Central America

El Salvador's offical language is Spanish

Its the only Latin American country that has troops in Iraq

It has used the US dollar as its main currency since 2001

Prior to this El Salvador's currency was the Colon

The Colon is/was worth 8.75 for ever 1 US dollar

The country's minumum wage is US$120-150 a month

It's made up of 14 States/Departments

It's the only Central American country that does not have a Caribbean coastline

The biggest Shopping centre in all of of Central America is located in El Salvador's capital, San Salvador

It was involved in an infamous 100 hour war with neighbouring Honduras in 1969, after a soccer game

It has a total of 21 active Volcanos

One of these Volcanos had a minor eruption on October 1, 2005. Spewing up clouds of ash and rocks, its effect reached nearby villages and caused two deaths

El Salvador has the largest airport in all of Central America

Gained its independace from Spain on September 15, 1821

Is frequently hit by earthqakes, the last big one being on January 13, 2001. Earthquake was marked at 7.6 on the Richter Scale

Is part of CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) which has trade with the USA

Has some of the best surfing beaches in the world

90% of Salvadorans are mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Spanish/European)

Oliver Stone directed a movie called "Salvador" and focus on its 12 year Civil war. The movie is critically acclaimed as one of Stone's best, and was nominated for an Oscar (BTW - nobody calls it Salvador. It's El Salvador.)

Many Salvadoreans have fled for various reasons to the United States. Its estimated that around 2-3 million live in the US

Its the most densely populated country in all of the Americas

Unlike many countries that have four season ever year, El Salvador only has 2. The wet and dry seasons, which run from May to October and November to April, respectively

Many notable Salvadorean people are from Palastinan decent

The country name, El Salvador, literally means "the savior" (as in our Lord The Savior, Jesus Christ) in spanish

El Salvador is part of what was the Mayan Empire. The Mayan Empire didn't go any further south after El Salvador

It has many Mayan and Pipil ruins including some pyramids

El Salvador's national dish is called a "Pupusa"