El Salvador Neighbouring Countries and Geography
Neighbouring Countries of El Salvador
El Salvador hangs out in Central America, with a couple of buddies in its neighborhood. Getting to know who’s next door gives you a peek into El Salvador’s relationships and goings-on in the area.
Geographical Borders
El Salvador bumps up against two countries: Guatemala and Honduras. Oh, and don’t forget its southern beach buddy, the Pacific Ocean.
- Guatemala: Kicking it northwest of El Salvador, Guatemala shares a chunk of land with it.
- Honduras: North and east of El Salvador, Honduras forms a decent-sized fence line.
- Pacific Ocean: Down south, there’s a whole lot of sea as El Salvador cozies up to the Pacific, giving it a splashy exit.
| Border | Length (km) |
|---|---|
| Guatemala | 203 |
| Honduras | 342 |
| Pacific Ocean Coastline | 307 |
Info grabbed from CIA World Factbook
El Salvador’s got a rocky personality, thanks to its volcanic setup. Sitting right in the Ring of Fire, it’s famous for fiery peaks like Volcan Chaparrastique and the big guy, Ilamatepec. The weather? Flip-flops between rain and shine (Commisceo Global).
Diplomatic Relations
El Salvador’s got its diplomatic game strong with neighbors Guatemala and Honduras. Through chats and deals, they’re all about making nice.
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Guatemala: They buddy up over trade, keeping borders in check, and making some cash. They’re in it together over market exchanges and migration chats.
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Honduras: With Honduras, it’s a mix of shared history – some hiccups over borders back then – but now, it’s all about trade agreements and keeping peace rolling.
| Country | Diplomatic Big Deals |
|---|---|
| Guatemala | Trade, Security, Economy |
| Honduras | Trade, Borders, Peacekeeping |
Checking out El Salvador neighbouring countries shows how these nations keep each other close. Curious about how El Salvador handles its lines and deals? Jump into border security and trade.
El Salvador’s diplomatic dances and neighborly bonds play a big role in its policies and ties with the region.
Relationship with Guatemala
Border Length and Crossings
El Salvador and Guatemala cozy up to each other with a stretch of border that’s nothing to sneeze at. This line hugs both personal and business travelers tight, thanks to some busy crossings. Let’s name-drop a few of the VIP gates:
- San Cristobal Crossing
- La Hachadura-Ciudad
- Valle-Nuevo
- Pedro de Alvarado
- Anguiatu
These spots aren’t just about border patrol and passport stamps; they’re the backbone of the friendship between these neighbors. Uncle Sam has even lent a hand in sprucing them up, probably with a nod to trade and keeping things secure World Atlas.
Trade and Migratory Flow
Now, Guatemala isn’t just a name on the map; it’s a major player in El Salvador’s trade game. With 8.2% of El Salvador’s shopping cart coming straight from next door, Guatemala’s got a firm handshake on this economic dance World Atlas. This bustling exchange of goodies keeps both sides talking—and buying.
But wait, there’s more! People are also on the move. More than 111,000 Salvadorans have set up shop in Guatemala, building bridges beyond the business world World Atlas. This merry-go-round of movement means cultures mix, ideas flow, and diplomatic ties grow stronger over a shared pupusa or two.
| Aspect | Figures/Details |
|---|---|
| Imports from Guatemala | 8.2% of El Salvador’s total take-home |
| Salvadorans in Guatemala | Over 111,000 souls |
Curious about more border buddies? We’ve got you covered with stories on Ecuador bordering neighbors and other neighbors Guatemala hangs with.
Trade, migration, and those border crossings are like the three amigos that highlight just how linked El Salvador and Guatemala are. Dive into more about how borders shape life and security with tales from Honduras’s neighboring stories and the Dominican Republic’s neighboring nations tale.
Connections with Honduras
Border Disputes
El Salvador and Honduras have had their fair share of squabbles over borders, carving quite a rocky relationship along the way. Back in the late 20th century, the tension hit the fan when Salvadorans, struggling with land scarcity, made their way to Honduras. They settled on untended land and this was one of the sparks that set off the 1969 Football War between the two nations (Wikipedia). An overwhelming 130,000 Salvadorans got the boot back to their homeland as a result.
Their border stretches roughly 256 km and snakes through some crucial landscapes. Despite the rocky past, both countries have strived to patch things up with a little help from pals like the Organization of American States (OAS), playing peacemaker in sorting out the spats.
Immigration and Cultural Links
The migration saga of Salvadorans heading to Honduras has stirred up a lively exchange mixing groceries, habaneros, and chatter between these two lands. This movement highlights the colorful cultural threads linking El Salvador and Honduras, weaving customs, vibes, and routines that have left their mark on both sides.
Salvadoran communities in Honduras feature a patchwork quilt of indigenous groups, sprinkling rich hues into the cultural spread of both countries. El Salvador’s land has fertility thanks to Paleo-Indians and native gangs like the Lenca, Cacaopera, Maya, and Pipil folks, all adding zest to their shared histories.
This dance of migration hasn’t been all smooth. The rush of folks moving in conjured up social and economic hurdles, nudging Honduras into action with policies to manage traffic and safeguard resources. Despite the tightrope walk, the cultural vibes keep jammin’, showcasing the common roots and ties binding these two friends.
Curious about other neighbors swapping tales and traditions? Check out our articles on the ‘friendly exchanges’ of Ecuador neighboring countries, Ethiopia neighboring countries, and Finland neighboring countries.
Impact of Regional Issues
Border Security and Trade
El Salvador finds itself smack dab in the middle of an intense border security situation with its neighbors, Guatemala and Honduras. These borders aren’t just lines on a map, they’re vital crossroads for trade and economic bonds. By beefing up border security, El Salvador aims to curb pesky illegal activities and keep trade routes smooth as butter, which will help the economy hum along nicely.
Truth be told, El Salvador’s public finances are already on the ropes, so any hiccups in trade with its next-door neighbors could really mess things up. Take Guatemala, for instance—it’s got a major deal going on with El Salvador, sending over about 8.2% of its imports. Keeping those borders tight can help preserve these valuable trade connections.
And hey, it’s not all about land borders. The tourism biz, which depends a lot on folks dropping in from the US, could take a hit if travelers decide to stay put. By keeping borders secure and easy to cross, El Salvador can lure more tourists their way, giving the local economy a much-needed boost.
Influence on Economy
How regional dramas play out has a pretty big say in where El Salvador’s economy lands, especially with its trade relationships. El Salvador ships off things like clothes, plastics, coffee, and sugar to the US. If there’s a hitch in the US, it could slow down these exports and knock the economic vibe off course (Coface).
The financial woes don’t stop there—public finances feel the burn too, with a daunting deficit fueled by tech and infrastructure investments. As the dust settles post-elections, tweaking those regional trade agreements might just be the ticket for balancing out these tricky financial waters. They might consider ditching tax freebies on must-have goods and tightening up the tax net.
Under President Nayib Bukele, crime and gang violence are getting scrubbed up, which gave him a vote boost. But whispers of tough-guy politics and human rights hiccups are still hanging around. Such internal dramas have a ripple effect, touching external economic ties and partnerships throughout the region.
Getting a good grip on how regional mishaps shape El Salvador’s economic state can guide efforts to dodge financial pitfalls. Jumping into regional setups like the Central American Integration System (SICA) could help pave the way for a more stable economy for everyone involved.
Want more scoop on how the neighbors sway the scene? Check our scribbles on Guatemala neighboring countries and Honduras neighboring countries. Getting hip to these dynamics is crucial to understanding how El Salvador’s economic puzzle really fits together.
Tensions and Resolutions
Getting a grip on the historical scuffles and peacemaking moves between El Salvador and its neighbors helps clarify what’s up today, especially when it comes to Honduras. Let’s break down the past clashes and how they’re patching things up.
Historical Disputes
El Salvador and Honduras have had their fair share of tussles. A big sticking point? Salvadorans moving over to Honduras. Picture tons of folks packing up and heading over, causing all sorts of hubbub with jobs and land use in Honduras. All that shuffling around brewed up some serious fights over who gets what land and resources.
They’ve also clashed over the map a bit. Both countries have been eyeing certain sections of land and islands in the Gulf of Fonseca, a spot both sides want to call their own.
Conflict Resolution Efforts
But hey, they’re not just stuck in an old feud. Both El Salvador and Honduras have been working hard to smooth things over through chatting and legal steps. They’ve inked some deals to cool down the hot spots about border lines.
Take the Gulf of Fonseca spat, for example. The International Court of Justice stepped in and drew some lines on the map, not wiping out all the drama but definitely turning down the heat, helping El Salvador and Honduras start talking nice again.
El Salvador’s also been busy revamping and holding onto its buddy-buddy status with other countries. Remember when they patched things up with Cuba in 2009? They’d been on a break since the Cuban Revolution in 1961. And then there was the shakeup in 2019 when El Salvador decided to side with Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s main man, cutting ties with Nicolás Maduro’s camp.
All this diplomatic back-and-forth shows how big peacemaking and legal chats are for keeping the peace and building ‘good neighbor’ vibes. El Salvador’s using nice talks and the big guns of international law to tackle old beefs and keep the peace train on track for regional growth and harmony.
Want to dive deeper into the geopolitics in this neck of the woods? Check out our pieces on Guatemala’s neighboring countries and Honduras’s neighboring countries.
Human Rights and Society
Incarceration Rates
El Salvador’s prisons are like sardines in a can, with over 300% occupancy. Imagine stuffing 100,000 folks—a bunch larger than some entire cities—behind bars. That’s about 1.14% of the whole country’s population in the slammer, giving El Salvador the dubious honor of the world’s highest lock-up rate.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupancy Rate | 300% |
| Inmates | >100,000 |
| Population Impact | 1.14% |
| Global Rank | Highest |
During a crackdown from March 27, 2022, to 2023, more than 73,000 people found themselves in jail cells, mainly charged with “illegal associations.” Most of those caught up in this dragnet were from low-income communities, making the already tough lives of these folks even tougher (Amnesty International).
Social Unrest and Protests
The year 2023 woke up a wave of protests in El Salvador. The government, pushing back hard, squashed free speech and peaceful gathering rights. Protestors faced not just cold stares but also stigma, intimidation, and sometimes even arrest and charges for simply standing up (Amnesty International).
Unions didn’t escape unscathed either—10 got the boot, disappearing as if they’d never existed. On top of that, the red tape around union activities and certification made job security a joke for anyone in the public sector.
Turning a blind eye to what goes on in detention has been deadly. About 190 folks died in state custody just during the crackdown, often due to torture or lack of proper medical care.
For more gritty tales and to understand what’s shaking in El Salvador’s neighborhood, take a peek at stories on Dominican Republic neighboring countries and Guatemala neighboring countries.