El Salvador

El Salvador (Spanish: República de El Salvador, pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðe el salβaˈðoɾ]) is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras. It lies on the Gulf of Fonseca, as does Nicaragua further south. It has a population of approximately 6.8 million people (July 2008 Census) on 21,000 km2. The capital city of San Salvador is the most important metropolis of the republic. El Salvador eliminated its currency, the colón, and adopted the U.S. dollar in 2001. About a quarter of the population live on less than US$ 2 a day.

Most North American and European tourists are seeking out El Salvador's beaches and nightlife. Besides these two choices, El Salvador's tourism landscape is slightly different than those of other Central American countries. Because of its geographical size and urbanization, there aren't many nature-themed tourist destination such as ecotours or archaeological monuments. Surfing, however, is a natural tourist sector that is gaining popularity as more surfers visit El Zonte, Sunzal, and La Libertad, la zunganera, Garita palmera, el cuco, surfing spots that are not yet overcrowded. Also, the use of the United States dollar as Salvadoran currency and direct flights of 4–6 hours from most cities in the United States are important things to note for first-time travelers from the United States. Urbanization and Americanization of Salvadoran culture has also led to something else that first time tourists might be surprised to see: the abundance of American-style malls, stores, and restaurants in the three main urban areas, especially greater San Salvador.

(Wikipedia)