San Salvador

San Salvador on the map of El Salvador

San Salvador ( Holy Savior Spanish ) is the capital of the Central American nation of El Salvador and has around 316,000 inhabitants. The entire metropolitan area has more than 1.74 million inhabitants. San Salvador is one of the largest cities in Central America.

Geography

San Salvador is located at the foot of Boqueron volcano and was repeatedly hit in the course of its history of earthquakes. The worst earthquake in 1854 destroyed the city almost completely. The last earthquake in 2001, causing considerable damage occurred. Especially the suburban Las Colinas was destroyed by a landslide for the most part. In a volcanic crater in the east of the city lies the Ilopango Lake, with an area of 72 km ², the largest natural lake in El Salvador. From the Spaniards the El Valle de Las hamacas was called ( The Valley of the Hammocks ).

History

The city was founded in 1528 by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo de Alvarado. In 1824 it became the capital of which was founded in that year the Central American Confederation. As disintegrated in 1839 the Central American confederation again and El Salvador became an independent state, with its capital San Salvador in 1841 was.

Crime

San Salvador is in the dubious reputation of being one of the cities with the highest murder rate in the world. In the Salvadoran capital also dominates, as in Guatemala and Honduras in particular the gang crime: In 2004, 60 % were all committed in San Salvador killings take place in the context of the vintage. Although the recent governments have already initiated several measures to keep young people off the line of life, no significant success has yet to be achieved. Thus, the crime rate has also increased from 2005 to 2006 to 7.5%. For the first half of 2007, the statistics of the " La Policía Nacional Civil de El Salvador " Although reported from declining homicide, extortion and assault numbers. Nevertheless, San Salvador remains one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America.

Twin Cities

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Manuel José Arce, Statesman
  • Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila, 1999-2004, Foreign Minister of El Salvador
  • Ernest Lenart, German actor
  • Roberto Huezo, painter and architect
  • Fernando Llort, internationally known painter from El Salvador, founder of style "La Palma"
  • Sonia Zepeda, chess player

Climate chart

Departamento Nationalist Republican Alliance Lake Ilopango California City, California
587099
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