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Table of Contents
El Salvador, also known as the Land of the Volcanoes, is the smallest yet most densely populated among the seven Mesoamerican countries. It has the Pacific Ocean border it in the south. El Salvador is the only Central American country without the Caribbean coastline.
See the fact file below for more information on the El Salvador or alternatively, you can download our 21-page El Salvador worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
- In 2000 BC, the Olmecs populated the region that is now El Salvador, followed by the Mayans in 1500 BC. After the end of the Mayan civilization in 900 AD, the Toltec Empire ruled.
- By the 11th century, the nomadic tribe of Pipils from Mexico migrated to El Salvador. Similar to the Mayans, they began an agrarian lifestyle.
- In 1524, after living in Cuzcatlan for centuries, Pedro de Alvarado invaded El Salvador. Many of the Pipil population were massacred, temples were destroyed, and many were enslaved including women and children.
- On September 15, 1821, like many countries in Central America, El Salvador declared independence from Spain. Immediately, it became part of a federation of Central American States until 1839.
- In 1872, the Greater Republic of Central America was established through the Pact of Amapala. Members included the governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
- A series of military dictatorships ruled El Salvador from 1931 to 1979. About 75,000 people were killed during the 12-year civil war which only ended in 1992 upon signing of a treaty.
- El Salvador is situated in Central America with a total land area of 8,123 square miles. It is bordered by Guatemala and Honduras.
- Also known as the land of volcanoes, El Salvador has volcanic craters that enclose several lakes, including Lake Ilopango and Lake Coatepeque.
- The largest and capital city is San Salvador. Despite its small land area, El Salvador is the most densely populated country in Central America with 6,071,774 people as of 2011.
- Due to its circumpacific Ring of Fire location, El Salvador has 20 potentially active volcanoes, including the Apaneca Range, Apastepeque, Cerro Cinoteoeque, Cerro Singuil, Chinameca, Coatepeque, Conchagua, Conchaguita, Guazapa, Ilopango, Izalco, Laguna, Aramuaca, San Diego, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Taburete, and Usulutan.
FLAG
- Officially adopted on September 4, 1908, the flag of El Salvador is composed of three horizontal stripes, the original colors used by the United Provinces of Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua).
- At the center is a white band with the national coat of arms. The emblem is surrounded with five flags of the United Provinces of Central America.
- The blue band represents the sky and sea, while white stands for peace within the world.
- The triangle represents the three pillars of the Republic of El Salvador – the executive, legislative, and judicial powers. In addition, five volcanoes and a red cap symbolizes the abolition of slavery.
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
- Unlike many Central American countries, El Salvador does not have a homogenous African culture. The African slaves who arrived in the 16th century were able to assimilate into the general population, which resulted in the mixture of African, European, and native people population.
- The majority of the population speaks Spanish, while a few still speak the native Pipil language. Like other Central and South American countries, El Salvador is predominantly Catholic.
- People are called Salvadoreños or guanacos who love cumbria and salsa. They also like to play the xylophone.
- The national anthem of El Salvador is El Himno Nacional de Salvadori.
- By the early 20th century, about 90% of the country’s revenue came from coffee exports.
- The remains of the prehispanic farming village of Joya de Ceren is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in El Salvador. Also known as the Pompeii of the Americas, the said site was buried in ashes after a volcanic eruption in the 7th century.
- Amongst the staple food in El Salvador is pupusa or tortilla made of corn or rice flour, rice, and beans.
- Another traditional dish is Yuca Frita, a deep fried cassava root with curtido, and pickled cabbage.
- One of the famous landmarks in El Salvador is the Monumento al Divino del Mundo, which was inaugurated in 1942 that honors Jesus Christ, the patron of the country.
- El Salvador means the Savior in Spanish.
El Salvador Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about El Salvador across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use El Salvador worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the El Salvador, also known as the Land of the Volcanoes, which is the smallest yet most densely populated among the seven Mesoamerican countries. It has the Pacific Ocean border it in the south. El Salvador is the only Central American country without the Caribbean coastline.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- El Salvador Facts
- Mapping Central America
- Shared History
- Precolonial History
- Land of Volcanoes
- The Savior
- Flag 101
- Cross El Salvador
- The Soccer War
- de Alvarado and San Salvador
- Viaje El Salvador!
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Link will appear as El Salvador Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 12, 2019
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.