EL SALVADOR [1]

General Information
The Republic of El Salvador has a democratic and representative form of government [2]. and is territorially divided into departamentos whose number and borders are established by law. Each departamento has a Governor and Deputy Governor who are appointed by the Executive Branch[3]. These units are sub-divided into municipalities that are governed by Municipal Councils, which include the mayor, a municipal auditor and two or more councilors (regidores), depending on the size of the population[4]. In 2003 El Salvador had approximately 6,533,000 inhabitants distributed over a total area of 21,040 sq. km., with an average population density of 310.5 inhabitants per sq. km. Population growth per 100,000 inhabitants in El Salvador was 2.1% for 1990-1995, decreasing to 2.0 for 1995-Population distribution at the beginning of the 1990s was as follows: 40.8% were 0-14 years old; 33.9% were between 15 and 34; 13.1% were in the 35 – 49 age group; 8% were in the 50-64 group; and 4.2% were 65 years of age or older 2000, and further decreasing to 1.8% for 2000-2005 [5]. In 1990 was 49.8% of the population lived in urban areas. This rate rose to 55.2% in 2000 and again to 57.8% in 2005 [6].

Population distribution at the beginning of the 1990s was as follows: 40.8% were 0-14 years old; 33.9% were between 15 and 34; 13.1% were in the 35 – 49 age group; 8% were in the 50-64 group; and 4.2% were 65 years of age or older [7].  By 2000, this distribution had shifted as follows: 35.6% in the 0-14 age range; 37.3% were between 15 and 34 years; 13.9% were in the 35 - 49 age group; 8.2% in the 50-64 age group; and the remaining 5.0% in the 65 and older age group[8]. Projections for 2010 estimate the following age group distribution: 31.9% in the 0 – 14 age group; 36.0% in the 15-34 age range; 17.3% between 35 and 49; 9.3% between 50 and 64 years old; and 5.6% in the 65-and-older category[9].

Illiteracy in El Salvador in adults over the age of fifteen was 27.6 % in 1990, but had dropped to 21.3% by 2000, with projections for 2015 standing at 14.6% [10]. In addition, life expectancy at birth was 67.1 years for the 1990–1995, rising to 69.4 years for the following five year period, and to 70.6 years for 2000-2005 [11]. Poverty affected 54.2% of the population in 1995, and had dropped to 48.9% by 2001. However, the rate of extreme poverty rose from 21.7% to 22.1% during the same period[12].The annual average unemployment rate in El Salvador’s cities decreased from 10% in 1990 to 6.5% in 2002 2002 2002 and 6.2% in 2003[13]. 13 Meanwhile, growth of GDP slowed from 2.2% in 2002 to 1.8% in 2003[14]. Per capita income in El Salvador was US$2,080 in 2002, and rose 5.76% in 2003 to US$2,200, the latter with a purchasing power parity of US$4,910.
 

Judicial System Highlights

• In 2004 the justice sector received 4.8% of the total fiscal budget.

• There were 642 judges in El Salvador in 2003, or 9.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. This figure is 2.72% higher than the number of judges in 2002.

• The Public Prosecutor’s Office ( Fiscalía General de la República) had 647 prosecutors and assistant prosecutors (letrados adjuntos) for 2002-2004, with no increase reported during that time. This is a rate of 9.9 specialists per 100,000 inhabitants.

• Between 2002 and 2004 the Public  Prosecutor’s Office budget increased by 1%.

• El Salvador has 277 public defenders, or approximately 4.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. The number of public defenders increased by 0.72% between 2002 and 2004.

• The budget allocated to the Public Defender’s Office (Procuraduría General de la República) decreased by 0.12% in the 2002-2004 period.

•  Between 2002 and 2003 the National Civil Police budget was reduced by 3% and staff dropped by 9%. In 2004 there were 16,665 police, or 255 per 100,000 inhabitants.

•  In 2003 approximately 2,270 cases were filed before the courts per 100,000 inhabitants. These figures reflect a rate of litigiousness in first instance jurisdictions of 2,117 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, 113 in second instance.

• In regard to crime rates, the number of murders rose by 10% between 2003 and 2004, while theft and robbery decreased by 2%.

• In 2003, 116,521 new students enrolled in university programs, 16.7% of whom attended law school, which was 2% less than the previous year.

• In 2004 there were approximately 8,000 attorneys practicing in El Salvador, or 125 per 100,000 inhabitants.