Economy (El Salvador)
=====================


     Overview:
         The agricultural sector accounts for 25% of GDP, employs about 40% of the
         labor force, and contributes about 66% to total exports. Coffee is the major
         commercial crop, accounting for 45% of export earnings. The manufacturing
         sector, based largely on food and beverage processing, accounts for 18% of
         GDP and 15% of employment. Economic losses because of guerrilla sabotage
         total more than $2 billion since 1979. The costs of maintaining a large
         military seriously constrain the government's efforts to provide essential
         social services. Nevertheless, growth in national output during the period
         1990-91 exceeded growth in population for the first time since 1987.
     GDP:
         exchange rate conversion - $5.5 billion, per capita $1,010; real growth rate
         3% (1991 est.)
     Inflation rate (consumer prices):
         19% (1990)
     Unemployment rate:
         10% (1989)
     Budget:
         revenues $751 million; expenditures $790 million, including capital
         expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
     Exports:
         $580 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
       commodities:
         coffee 45%, sugar, cotton, shrimp
       partners:
         US 49%, Germany 24%, Guatemala 7%, Costa Rica 4%, Japan 4%
     Imports:
         $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
       commodities:
         petroleum products, consumer goods, foodstuffs, machinery, construction
         materials, fertilizer
       partners:
         US 40%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 7%, Mexico 7%, Germany 5%, Japan 4%
     External debt:
         $2.0 billion (December 1990 est.)
     Industrial production:
         growth rate 2.4% (1990); accounts for 22% of GDP
     Electricity:
         682,000 kW capacity; 1,927 million kWh produced, 356 kWh per capita (1991)
     Industries:
         food processing, textiles, clothing, beverages, petroleum, tobacco products,
         chemicals, furniture
     Agriculture:
         accounts for 25% of GDP and 40% of labor force (including fishing and
         forestry); coffee most important commercial crop; other products -
         sugarcane, corn, rice, beans, oilseeds, beef, dairy products, shrimp; not
         self-sufficient in food
     Illicit drugs:
         transshipment point for cocaine
     Economic aid:
         US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $2.95 billion; Western (non-US)
         countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $525 million
     Currency:
         Salvadoran colon (plural - colones); 1 Salvadoran colon (C) = 100 centavos
     Exchange rates:
         Salvadoran colones (C) per US$1 - 8.1 (January 1992), floating rate since
         mid-1990); 5.0000 (fixed rate 1986 to mid-1990)
     Fiscal year:
         calendar year