El Salvador: flag, capital, currency and history
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America, the Americas. Its capital is San Salvador. The currency is the United States dollar. Languages spoken include Spanish.
Quick facts about El Salvador
- Official name
- Republic of El Salvador
- Capital
- San Salvador
- Region
- Americas, Central America
- Currency
- United States dollar (USD, $)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +503
- Internet domain
- .sv
- Area
- 21,041 km² (8,124 sq mi)
- Demonym
- Salvadoran
- National day
- Independence Day, September 15
Flag of El Salvador
Download the flag of El Salvador as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇸🇻.
History of El Salvador
The area was home to Mesoamerican peoples, including the Pipil, when Spanish forces under Pedro de Alvarado arrived in the 1520s. It became part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala and gained independence from Spain in 1821. After a brief union with Mexico and membership in the Federal Republic of Central America, it became a separate state in the early 1840s. The twentieth century saw coffee-based economic change and political instability, culminating in a civil war from 1980 to 1992 that ended with peace accords. El Salvador is a presidential republic with its capital at San Salvador.
Key dates
- 1524Spanish forces led by Pedro de Alvarado begin the conquest of the Cuzcatlan region.
- 1821Central American provinces declare independence from Spain on 15 September.
- 1823El Salvador joins the Federal Republic of Central America.
- 1841El Salvador proclaims itself a fully independent republic after the federation dissolves.
- 1980A civil war begins between the government and left-wing guerrilla forces.
- 1992Peace accords signed at Chapultepec end the civil war.
A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.
Currency of El Salvador
El Salvador uses the United States dollar (USD, $). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of El Salvador?
The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador.
What currency does El Salvador use?
El Salvador uses the United States dollar (USD, symbol $).
What languages are spoken in El Salvador?
Languages used in El Salvador include Spanish.
What is the calling code of El Salvador?
The international calling code of El Salvador is +503. Its internet domain is .sv.
Which countries border El Salvador?
El Salvador shares land borders with Guatemala and Honduras.
On which continent is El Salvador?
El Salvador is in Central America, part of the Americas, in the region of Central America.
What is the national day of El Salvador?
El Salvador marks Independence Day on September 15.
Neighbours of El Salvador
More countries in Central America
Country data from the open mledoze/countries dataset (ODbL), with corrections. Flags from flag-icons (MIT).