<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: El Salvador<nl>Government</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of El Salvador
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> El Salvador
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica de El Salvador
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> El Salvador
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<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> ES
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> San Salvador
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 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
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 20 December 1983
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> 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
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> President Armando CALDERON SOL (since 1 June 1994); Vice President Enrique BORGO Bustamante (since 1 June 1994) election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999); results—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, run off election was held 24 April 1994; results—Armando CALDERON SOL (ARENA) 68.35%, Ruben ZAMORA Rivas (CD/FMLN/MNR) 31.65%
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers
<item><hi format=bold>Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa):</hi> elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held March 1997); results—ARENA 46.4%, FMLN 25.0%, PDC 21.4%, PCN 4.8%, other 2.4%; seats—(84 total) ARENA 39, FMLN 21, PDC 18, PCN 4, other 2
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> National Republican Alliance (ARENA); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) has five factions—Popular Liberation Forces (FPL), Armed Forces of National Resistance (FARN), Popular Expression of Renewal (ERP), Salvadoran Communist Party (PCES), and Central American Workers' Revolutionary Party (PRTC); Christian Democratic Party (PDC); National Conciliation Party (PCN); Democratic Convergence (CD), a coalition of three parties—the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Democratic Nationalist Union (UDN), and the Popular Social Christian Movement (MPSC); Authentic Christian Movement (MAC)
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> new party leaders not yet designated at time of publication
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<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>labor organizations:</hi> Salvadoran Communal Union (UCS), peasant association; General Confederation of Workers (CGT), moderate; United Workers Front (FUT)
<item>• <hi format=ital>business organizations:</hi> Productive Alliance (AP), conservative; National Federation of Salvadoran Small Businessmen (FENAPES), conservative
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band—it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band