El Salvador is a small country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the northeast, Guatemala to the northwest, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. It is the smallest and the most densely populated country in continental America, with a 2025 estimated population of about 6.37 million people. The capital and largest city is San Salvador. Historically, El Salvador has experienced political instability and a civil war from 1979 to 1992, which ended in peace accords leading to democratization. The country has an economy traditionally based on agriculture, particularly coffee and previously indigo, but now more diversified with services and manufacturing. El Salvador uses the US dollar as its currency and is notable for having no Caribbean coastline, unlike other Central American countries. Spanish is the official language.
