5th November: El Salvador

Today in El Salvador they celebrate the first Cry for Independence in Central America, which took place on November 5, 1811 in San Salvador.

1. El Salvador is smallest country in continental America, (about the size of Wales or the US state of Massachusetts) and because of this is affectionately called Pulgarcito de America (the "Tom Thumb of the Americas").
2. Its population is nearly seven million, making it the most densely populated country in the Americas.
3. The country was named by Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in honour of Jesus Christ. The translation of El Salvador is "The Saviour". The full name was "Provincia De Nuestro Señor Jesus Cristo, El Salvador Del Mundo" ("Province of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World"), but it was subsequently abbreviated to its current name.
4. El Salvador has more than twenty volcanoes, with two, San Miguel and Izalco, being active in recent years. From the early 19th century to the mid-1950s, Izalco erupted so often that it was called "Lighthouse of the Pacific" because it could be seen for miles out at sea.
5. It is the only Central American country that has no Caribbean coastline.
6. The capital and largest city is San Salvador; the highest point is Cerro El Pital, at 2,730 metres (8,957 ft), on the border with Honduras.
7. Four of the world's eight species of sea Turtle nest on the coast of El Salvador.
8. The national Flag is based on that of Argentina, since they played a part in the struggle for independence from Spain. It is white and cobalt blue stripes. There are two versions of the flag, one for civil purposes and one used by the government. The government one bears the national coat of arms with the words Republica De El Salvador En La America Central (Republic of El Salvador in Central America). The civic one bears the words Dios Union Libertad (God, Union, Liberty).
9. The country has one UNESCO World Heritage Site - Joya de Cerén. It is a pre-Columbian Maya farming village preserved under layers of volcanic ash. It is often referred to as the "Pompeii of the Americas".
10. The national bird is known as the torogoz (turquoise-browed motmot), and the national dish is the pupusa, a hand made corn tortilla stuffed with Cheese or refried beans and sometimes loroco, a vine flower bud native to Central America.