Factbook
History of El Salvador — Timeline
Key dates in the history of El Salvador, from the Magna Factbook and the Universal Encyclopedia.
Last updated: October 2026
1821El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839.
1821Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain).
1992A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 19.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); geothermal: 24.5% of total inst Energy use: 24.421 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals Agriculture: sugarcane, maize, milk, chicken, sorghum, beans, oranges, coconuts, eggs, mangoes/guavas (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
2023Languages: Spanish (official), Nawat (among some indigenous) Religions: Roman Catholic 43.9%, Protestant 39.6% (Evangelical - unspecified 38.2%, Evangelical - Methodist 1.3%, Evangelical - Baptist 0.1%), none 16.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2023 est.) Urban population: 75.4% of total population (2023).
2023Major urban areas: 1.116 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2023) upper-middle-income, dollarized Central American economy; reliant on remittances from US; recent growth linked to infrastructure investment, consumption, and crime reduction; $1.3 billion IMF loan to address fiscal imbalances; Bitcoin adopted as legal tender; persistent poverty and large informal sector Inflation: 0.9% (2024 est.).
2024Military spending: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.).
El Salvador — Country ProfileNayib Bukele — Leader of El SalvadorEl Salvador — Military Capability AssessmentEl Salvador Ranking — Magna Country RankingsWhat is the population of El Salvador?Who is the president of El Salvador?San Salvador, El Salvador — City ProfileWhat are the main airports of El Salvador?