Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 21,041 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 20,721 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 320 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 153

Area - comparative:
about the same size as New Jersey
Area comparison map:

Land boundaries:
total: 590 km
border countries (2): Guatemala 199 km, Honduras 391 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
307 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 74.7% arable land 33.1%; permanent crops 10.9%; permanent pasture 30.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 13.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 11.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
452 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
25.23 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.84 cu km/yr (22%/14%/64%)
per capita: 301.9 cu m/yr (2007)

Natural hazards:
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (elev. 1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (elev. 2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea