El Salvador: Flag and Facts
El Salvador's flag has two cobalt blue stripes with a white stripe between them, and the national coat of arms sits in the center of the white band.
- Official name
- Republic of El Salvador
- Capital
- San Salvador
- Region
- Central America
- Population
- 6.3 million (2025)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- United States dollar
- Area
- 21,041 km² (8,124 sq mi)
- People
- Salvadoran
- Calling code
- +503
- Highest point
- Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
- Independence
- 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
- National symbols
- turquoise-browed motmot (bird)
About El Salvador
A ring of lettering naming the republic and Central America circles the round emblem. The two blue bands represent the two seas, the Pacific and the Caribbean, while the white means the land plus peace and prosperity. The design grew out of the blue-white-blue banner once flown by the Federal Republic of Central America.
Spain lost control here in 1821, and El Salvador then left the Central American Federation in 1839. A civil war lasting 12 years took roughly 75,000 lives before a 1992 treaty between the government and leftist rebels brought military and political reforms. Much of the country is mountainous, with a narrow coast and a central plateau. Rain falls from May to October; the dry months run November to April. Cerro El Pital is the high point at 2,730 meters.
Did you know?
- The national bird is the turquoise-browed motmot.
- El Salvador is roughly as big as New Jersey.
- San Salvador, the capital, has about 1.116 million residents.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about El Salvador
What currency does El Salvador use?
El Salvador uses the United States dollar.
When is Independence Day in El Salvador?
It falls on 15 September, marking freedom from Spain in 1821.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.