El Salvador

At a Glance:

What can you say about El Salvador that hasn’t already been said? Well, the answer is, “A lot” – especially since so much of what has been said is severely dated at best and dead wrong at worst.

So, first, let’s start off with what this beautiful, peaceful country actually is not. It is not an impoverished little outpost racked by violence and torn by political strife. Hasn’t been for two decades. And will not likely be again.

That said, perhaps what El Salvador now is can best be summed up in a short squib from the highly readable Lonely Planet travel guide when it named tiny nation one of its “Top 10 Countries for 2010”:

“El Salvador is a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travelers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbors, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and alpine lakes.”

That’s not a bad recommendation from a publication whose job it is to travel the world and report back what it finds. And the fact is, as Henry Kissinger once said in an entirely different context, “It has the added advantage of being true.”

Despite being the smallest country geographically in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, boasting a per capita income ($7500 a year) that is about two-thirds that of Costa Rica and Panama. Though impacted by the global recession in recent years, the country’s GDP was 1.43% in 2010, placing it above the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Ireland, and Spain.

Part of the reason for El Salvador’s economic growth is its burgeoning tourism industry. Aided by the use of the U.S. dollar as currency, and by direct flights of just 4 – 6 hours from most American cities into San Salvador’s beautifully modern airport, tourism has increased by nearly 8% per annum in recent years (as opposed to 4.5% worldwide).

Many tourists seek out the country’s scenic 140-mile Pacific coastline, with its enticing array of pristine beaches. As the GoCentralAmerican.com El Salvador guide enthuses: 

“And what beaches they are. The water is over eighty degrees on average, the wave breaks are perfect, and the sands are rarely crowded. No wonder surfers flock to El Salvador’s beaches all year long -— the favorites are La Libertad, Las Flores, and Playa Herradura. The beaches of Costa del Sol and San Juan del Gozo are better for non-surfers, boasting soft white sands and calmer waters.”

While you may go for the waters, you may end up staying for the good life at a great price. In San Salvador, you’ll find spacious apartments for as little as $200 to $500 a month (and as little as half that in outlying regions). You’ll find oceanfront beach property for as low as $60,000 an acre – and beautiful oceanfront homes for a paltry $160,000 (or less).

In short, in beautiful, peaceful El Salvador, the land is cheap, the food is great, the people are friendly – and Central America’s tiniest country could soon well become your biggest bargain!

Healthcare:

As with most other countries worldwide, healthcare in El Salvador is uneven. Overall, the quality of your care largely depends largely upon the quantity of your cash. But, that said, in El Salvador, as in many other Caribbean / Pacific Gold Coast countries, it does not take nearly as much quantity to receive top quality as it does elsewhere.

In short, in El Salvador, even if you are poor, you receive sufficient health care – at little or no cost – to live a nice long life (average life expectancy is 70; not far below US). And if you have even moderate disposable income, you can expect exceptional health care at a remarkably low price. 
The country essentially has a two-tiered health care system. Most Salvadorans avail themselves of the government-run system catering primarily to the poor. The care is provided either for free, or at prices low enough not to burden even the poorest patients. The doctors are well-qualified, and while the facilities are not state of the art, they are invariably adequate for natives and expats.

Most higher income Salvadorans – and almost all expats – prefer the country’s completely private-based system. The doctors are highly professional, often trained in US, European, or Cuban medical schools. The hospitals are modern. The equipment is state of the art. And the prices are nothing short of shockingly low. In fact, for most procedures, patients can expect to pay 75% less than in the US.

Here’s how Dr. Molly O’Shea, a regular medical columnist for the Detroit News, described El Salvadoran health care after a visit to the country in December, 2011:

“One of the areas I learned a bit about was health care delivery in El Salvador. Not surprising I am sure to anyone; if you are wealthy, high-quality health care is available. Indeed, the leader of our group (a native Salvadoran who came to the U.S. as a political refugee during the war) returns regularly to have some medical issues addressed. Here in the U.S., for example, the simple removal of a skin tag on the neck would run about $150 each. In El Salvador, a well-trained dermatologist charges $6 per removal. Even with the cost of the flight, if you have a bunch of skin tags or moles that need to be removed it is cheaper to go to El Salvador to have it done …”

Public Safety:

Generally speaking, a society is forced to endure as much crime as it is willing to tolerate. And in El Salvador, the government of current President Mauricio Funes seems to be increasingly intent upon cracking down on what had been rising crime, particularly in terms of gang activity. In September, 2010, Funes signed a law making gang membership a criminal offence, but enforcement has been lax.

In truth, this has left the notorious Mara Salvatrucha 13 gang considerably freer to operate in El Salvadoran cities than in previous years. This situation has been exacerbated by crackdowns on MS 13 in both the US and Honduras. Forced to flee those two countries, MS 13 gang members have returned to their roots.

Still, outside of gang-related activities (centering mostly on the drug culture), the country is safer than its popular image would convey. Here is how Dr. Robert Winslow reported the situation in his 2000 study “A Comparative Criminology World Tour”

“Although statistics are incomplete, the crime rate in El Salvador is low compared to industrialized countries, with the important exception of murder. An analysis was done using INTERPOL data for El Salvador. For purpose of comparison, data were drawn for the four of seven offenses used to compute the United States FBI's index of crime. Index offenses include murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.

“The combined total of these offenses constitutes the Index used for trend calculation purposes. El Salvador will be compared with Japan (country with a low crime rate) and USA (country with a high crime rate). According to the INTERPOL data, for murder, the rate in 1998 was 38.80 for El Salvador, 1.10 for Japan, and 6.80 for USA. For rape, the rate in 1998 was 10.01 for El Salvador, compared with 1.48 for Japan and 35.92 for USA. (It will be pointed out below that rape is highly underreported for El Salvador.) For aggravated assault, the rate in 1998 was 63.73 for El Salvador, 15.40 for Japan, and 382.04 for USA. The rate for motor vehicle theft in 1998 was 148.49 for El Salvador, compared with 28.37 for Japan and 505.80 for USA.”

The bottom line: As the El Salvadoran government becomes increasingly committed to adopting a zero tolerance posture towards gang-related violence, the country will become increasingly safe for expats and resettlers. Still, at present, an extra degree of caution is advised for Caribbean Life Club members considering a visit or move to El Salvador.

Population and Geography:

El Salvador is about the size of Massachusetts, with a population of 6.2 million (for population density comparisons, MA has 6.5 million). Ninety percent of its people are mestizo – a mix of Spanish and American Indian). The majority of Salvadorans (60 percent) live in urban areas.

The country is lies between Guatemala, to the northwest, and Honduras, to the southeast. It is the only country in Central America whose entire shoreline is on the Pacific Gold Coast. And it is one incredible coast! Here is how gocentralamerica.com travel guide describes its scenic beaches:

“Because El Salvador is so small, travelers are never far from the country’s Pacific beaches. And what beaches they are. The water is over eighty degrees on average, the wave breaks are perfect, and the sands are rarely crowded. No wonder surfers flock to El Salvador’s beaches all year long -— the favorites are La Libertad, Las Flores, and Playa Herradura. The beaches of Costa del Sol and San Juan del Gozo are better for non-surfers, boasting soft white sands and calmer waters.”

Type of Government:

El Salvador is a representative democratic republic with a president elected every five years (to a single term), a single-chamber, unicameral Legislative Assembly, and an independent judiciary. Though the country experienced severe internal turmoil in the latter part of the Twentieth Century, peace was restored in 1992, and democracy has prevailed. Elections are free and open; transitions of power are seamless.

The El Salvadoran Constitution protects freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, movement within the country and foreign travel. It prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, opinion or political beliefs. According to the international organization Human Rights Matrix, “The Constitution of El Salvador is an important tool for the protection and promotion of human rights. It enables El Salvador to translate international agreements into domestic law, and obliges all branches of government to respect and ensure the rights it enunciates.”

CLC Don’t Miss This Alert!:   

In a word – well, make that two – what you won’t want to miss in el Salvador is San Miguel: the City by the Sea. The country’s fourth largest city population-wise (with 200,000 residents), it is by far first when it comes to parties, pleasant living, and pristine beaches.

Let’s start with the parties, because there is none more festive and fun-filled than the Carnival of San Miguel. Celebrated the last week in November in honor of Nuestra Senora de la Paz, the colorful, convivial event attracts more than one million revelers.

They dance, they sing, they wine, they dine – all with nary a hint of anything other than good, clean, non-stop fun. You’ll trip -- and sip -- the light fantastic as you join in the largest celebration in all of Central America.

But, don’t stop there – because that’s just the beginning of San Miguel’s good life at a great price. The city is equally famous for its night life along the festive, festooned Roosevelt Avenue, the vibrant main street dividing the city in half. Here, day and night alike, you’ll find quaint cafes and gourmet restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and even a downtown mall where you can shop till you drop at bargain prices.

But wait, there’s more!

If Rick had come to San Miguel (instead of Casa Blanca) for “the waters,” he wouldn’t have been disappointed. Because the waters of San Miguel are some of the most beautiful in all of Latin America. As wikitravel.com tells us, in San Miguel, you’ll find:

• El Cuco is a quintessential beach with dark sands, lined with vendor huts and seafood restaurants and shaggy palms
• Playa Las Flores is next to El Cuco and is regarded as one of the best surf spots in all of El salvador
• Playa El Esteron is located on the other side of El Cuco and is one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in all of El Salvador
• Intipuca Beach is next to Playa Esterone and is famous for El Salvador's first microbrewery and where the river joins the ocean is hugely popular for stand up paddleboarding.

Enough said. Be there, or be square!

For Additional Information:

• Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom Index:

• Freedom House Index:

• State Department Country Report:

• CIA Country Factbook:

• World Health Organization Rankings 2000 (dated but still useful):