El Salvador (República de El Salvador in Spanish, literally meaning "Republic of The Savior") is the smallest, and also the most densely populated country in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras. It lies on the Gulf of Fonseca, as do Honduras and Nicaragua further south. It has a population of approximately 5,744,113 people, as of 2009. The capital city of San Salvador is the largest city of the Republic. It has a total area of 8,123 square miles (21,040 km²) (about the size of Massachusetts or Wales). It has 123.6 square miles (320 km²) of water within its borders. Several small rivers flow through El Salvador into the Pacific Ocean, including the Goascorán, Jiboa, Torola, Paz and the Río Grande de San Miguel. Only the largest river, the Lempa River, flowing from Guatemala and Honduras across El Salvador to the ocean, is navigatable for commercial traffic.
El Salvador has a rich culture which has a set of Customs, practices, codes, norms, rules, dress codes, religion and rituals. The culture of El Salvador is much like any other country in Latin America, or more specifically of Central America. The European influences are emphasized in the architecture of the colonial churches, museums and theaters throughout most of El Salvador. In addition, contemporary life in its cities has become similar to that of the rest of Latin America.
In El Salvador, there are different types of costumes, of which the majority are used in religious or other festivals, although in some of the older towns they are still worn regularly. In female clothing it is common to see elements like a scapular, a shawl, a cotton headscarf with different colored adornments. These can be worn with a skirt and a blouse, or with a dress. The normal footwear is sandals. With male clothing, it is common to see a cotton suit or a cotton shirt worn with modern jeans, with sandals or boots, and a cowboy hat. However, these are rural fashions and there can be many variations depending on the area.
The El Salvador Diaspora Football team represents El Salvador in the Diaspora World Cup. This 2011 will be their first appearance.
Last Update: December 2010
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