Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos,
singular-departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan,
La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador,
Santa Ana, San Vicente, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 20 December 1983
Legal system: based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations note: Legislative Assembly passed landmark judicial reforms in 1996
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Armando CALDERON Sol (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 20 March 1994, with a run-off election held 24 April 1994 (next to be held NA March 1999) election results: Armando CALDERON Sol elected president; percent of vote-Armando CALDERON Sol (ARENA) 49.03%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 24.09%, Fidel CHAVEZ Mena (PDC) 16.39%, other 10.49%; because no candidate received a majority, a run-off election was held and the results were as follows-Armando CALDERON Sol (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-ARENA 35.4%, FMLN 34.3%, PCN 8.1%, PDC 7.9%, CD 3.8%, PRSC 3.4%, PLD 3.2%, MU 2.1%, PD 1.0%, other 0.8%; seats by party - ARENA 28, FMLN 27, PCN 9, PDC 8, PRSC 3, CD 2, PLD 2, MU 1, PD 1, independent 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Alliance or ARENA
[Alfredo CRISTIANI]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN
[Facundo GUARDADO, general coordinator]; Christian Democratic Party or
PDC [Ronal UMANA, secretary general; title in dispute]; National
Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ Zepeda, secretary general];
Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];
Popular Labor Party or PPL [Jose VILANOVA, secretary general]; Liberal
Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; Social
Christian Union or USC (formed by union of the PRSC, MU, and MSN)
[Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Democratic Party or PD [Ana Guadeloupe
MARTINEZ, president]