According to abbreviationfinder, the city of San Salvador is the capital of the department of San Salvador and of the Republic of El Salvador. It is located in an unstable area very prone to earthquakes, at an altitude of 685 m, next to the San Salvador volcano, it is the largest city in the country and its main commercial, manufacturing, transport and cultural center. It is marked by civil wars and natural disasters. Earthquakes have caused major catastrophes on successive occasions and the city has had to be rebuilt more than once. The parks and squares have replaced the disappeared colonial buildings.
History
During colonial times he was part of the captaincy general of Guatemala. In the 1810s, several independence uprisings took place against Spanish domination, but this was not achieved until 1821, when the independent republic of El Salvador was created. After a period of annexation to the Mexican Empire, this town became the capital of the new nation between 1823 and 1824, and, as of this year, in the capital of the confederation of the United Provinces of Central America, to which San Salvador joined as a member country. After the dismantling of this federation, the city returned to play the role of capital of the country that it has maintained until the present, except between 1854 and 1859, when it had to be rebuilt after being practically devastated by an earthquake. The city was again damaged by severe earthquakes in 1873, 1917 and 1986, as well as a consequence of the civil war that took place in the 1980s.
Foundation
In 1524, San Salvador was founded in the Bermuda Valley by the Spanish, under the orders of Diego de Alvarado, and refounded four years later in its current location. The first “capital” and settlement of El Salvador was Ciudad Vieja located several kilometers from where the heart of San Salvador is currently located.
Main trade areas
Its factories produce processed foods, alcoholic beverages, textiles, building materials, leather goods, tobacco products, and soap.
Education and culture
San Salvador is the headquarters of the University of El Salvador (1941), the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (1965), the Doctor José Matías Delgado University (1977), the National Library and the National Archives, which are located inside the National Palace.. It has, among other cultural institutions, schools of music, social work and agriculture. Other highlights are the David J. Guzmán National Museum, with historical and ethnographic collections; the Tazumal Museum, with exhibitions of archaeological objects; the National Zoological Park, and the Botanical Garden. The Lake Ilopango, the largest in the country and the port of La Libertad are very close to this city.
El Salvador
Republic located in Central America, with a population of 5.74 million residents. Due to its small territorial extension (21 041 km²), it has the highest population density in continental America. A 12-year civil war encouraged by the United States, whose human cost reached approximately 75,000 lives, ended on January 16, 1992, when the government and guerrillas signed the Peace Accords that led to military and political reforms.
Demography
According to the 2007 census, the population of El Salvador was 5,744,113, within its territory, with approximately 2.6 million living outside of El Salvador, mainly in the USA; 86% are mestizo, 10% indigenous, and 1% white; [2] very few indigenous people have retained their customs and traditions. It is the most densely populated country in Latin America. See population of El Salvador.
El Salvador is the only country in Central America that does not have any native African population due to the inaccessibility of trade from the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez instituted race laws in the 1930s that prohibited black populations from entering the country.
Social development
The culture of El Salvador is a mixture of the Mayan, Lenca, Nahua, Ulúa, Spanish, and other minority ethnic groups. Less than 1% of the population speaks Nahuatl. The Catholic religion played an important role in the culture of El Salvador. Painting, ceramic and textile articles are the main manual artistic expressions.
The writers Francisco Gavidia (1863-1955), Alberto Masferrer, Salvador Salazar Aruestra, Claudia Lars, Alfredo Espino, Pedro Geoffroy Rivas, Manlio Argueta, and the poet Roque Dalton are among the most important Salvadoran artists.
Notable figures of the 20th century include filmmakers Baltazar Polío and Guillermo Escalón ; Miss El Salvador Maribel Arrieta, singer Álvaro Torres, artist Fernando Llort and soccer player Jorge Mágico González (1958-).
Among the most recognized representatives of the graphic arts are painters Noé Canjura, Carlos Cañas, Julia Díaz, Camilo Minero, Ricardo Carbonell, Roberto Huezo and many others.
Political-administrative organization
The territory of El Salvador is structured, for political-administrative purposes, in fourteen departments, divided in turn into districts, with their respective capital cities. The capital of the country is San Salvador
Departments
In the western zone:
- Department of Ahuachapán (Ahuachapán).
- Department of Santa Ana (Santa Ana).
- Sonsonate Department (Sonsonate).
In the central area:
- Department of La Libertad (Santa Tecla).
- Chalatenango Department (Chalatenango).
- Department of San Salvador (San Salvador).
- Department of Cuscatlán (Cojutepeque).
- Cabin Department (Sensuntepeque).
- Department of La Paz (Zacatecoluca) and
- Department of San Vicente (San Vicente).
In the eastern zone:
- Department of Usulután (Usulután).
- Department of San Miguel (San Miguel).
- Department of Morazán (San Francisco Gotera or Francisco Morazán).
- Department of La Unión (La Unión).
