El Salvador
About El Salvador
| Currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Language | Spanish |
| Capital | San Salvador |
The Republic of El Salvador is located in Central America between Guatemala and Honduras. El Salvador has coastline on the North Pacific Ocean and is the only Central American country without coastline on the Caribbean Sea. The population is approximately 6 million people.
The government of El Salvador is a republic. A president is chief of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote.
From about 1980 to 1992, El Salvador experienced a 12-year civil war brought on by the huge inequality between the majority of the people who lived in abject poverty and the small, wealthy class who controlled the economy and the government. About 75,000 lives were lost. In 1992, the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that brought about political and military reforms. When the country began to recover from over a decade of war, a series of natural disasters left 1200 dead and over a million people homeless. Much of the population still lives in poverty.
El Salvador experiences the ongoing problem of crime and has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Violent street gangs, maras, are a problem. The economy depends heavily on the money sent home by Salvadoreans living in the US. The government is encouraging the tourism sector which has grown in recent years.
Recommended Vaccinations For El Salvador
For Most Travellers
Hepatitis A Vaccine
There is a significant risk of exposure to hepatitis A for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.
Hepatitis B Vaccine
There is a significant risk of infection with hepatitis B for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.
For Some Travellers
Yellow Fever Vaccine
There is no risk of yellow fever transmission. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers transiting for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country/territory at risk for yellow fever transmission would also require a certificate.
Rabies Vaccine
Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, bikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) who may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk and should be vaccinated.
Typhoid Fever Vaccine
There is a risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country through consumption of unsafe food and water. Since exposure to unsafe sources is variable within this country, the vaccination against typhoid fever is generally recommended, especially when visiting smaller cities, rural areas, or staying with friends and family.
Recommended Medications For El Salvador
There are no recommendations for El Salvador at this time.
Diseases To Be Aware of for El Salvador
For Most Travellers
Hepatitis A
There is a significant risk for hepatitis A virus exposure in El Salvador through contaminated food or water.
Dengue Fever
Dengue fever outbreaks occur regularly in El Salvador.
Hepatitis B
There is a significant risk for acquiring hepatitis B in El Salvador.
Chikungunya Fever
Chikungunya fever has occurred in this country.
For Some Travellers
Leishmaniasis
There is a risk of acquiring Leishmaniasis through sand fly bites in this country.
Zika Fever
There is transmission of the Zika virus in this country.
Typhoid Fever
Unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in El Salvador. The risk is higher when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where food and water sources may be contaminated.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis occurs in this country. Travellers to this country are at risk for tuberculosis if visiting sick friends or family, working in the health care field, or having close prolonged contact with the general population.
Chagas Disease
American trypanosomiasis (“Chagas disease”) occurs in rural El Salvador. The risk of travellers acquiring this disease is very low unless staying in very poor quality housing or camping.
Yellow Fever
There is no risk of yellow fever transmission. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers transiting for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country/territory at risk for yellow fever transmission would also require a certificate.
Rabies
Rabies occurs in this country. Travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, bikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk.
Safety & Security in El Salvador
Personal Safety
El Salvador transformed its security situation dramatically between 2022 and 2025. After recording 114 homicides in 2024, the country achieved a rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people, making it the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere. This represents a 98% decrease from 2015, when El Salvador had the highest homicide rate globally at 103 per 100,000. The government implemented a state of exception in March 2022, which suspended certain constitutional rights and led to the arrest of over 89,000 suspected gang members. Gang activity from MS-13 and Barrio 18, which historically controlled territories and engaged in extortion, has been severely disrupted. While violent crime has dropped dramatically, petty theft remains the most common concern. Between June 2023 and May 2024, theft accounted for nearly 7,000 of the 15,620 high impact crimes reported. Pickpocketing occurs in crowded areas, public transport, and markets. The state of exception continues indefinitely, giving police broad arrest powers without warrants, and several foreign citizens remain detained without trial. Tens of thousands are incarcerated, and human rights organizations have documented over 350 deaths in state custody since 2022. Despite these concerns, tourists are generally not targeted. You face significantly lower risk of violent crime than in previous years, though you should remain alert in downtown San Salvador and less developed areas.
Extreme Violence
Gang violence historically plagued El Salvador, but extreme violence has decreased dramatically since 2022. The country recorded only 114 homicides in 2024, achieving 279 days without any homicides. MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs, which once controlled 247 of the country’s 262 municipalities, engaged in murder, rape, kidnapping, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, and extortion. These gangs divided territories and charged fees to people entering or leaving controlled areas. They forced businesses to pay extortion and intimidated residents with threats of violence, often murdering or raping relatives of those who reported crimes. Gang violence peaked in March 2022, when 87 people were murdered over three days, with 62 killed on March 26 alone. This prompted the government’s state of exception and mass incarceration strategy. The gang crackdown has been credited with the dramatic reduction in violence, though some analysts note that official homicide figures may not include police killings, prison deaths, or bodies discovered in mass graves. Between 2000 and 2015, gang violence made El Salvador one of the most violent countries globally. In 2015, the homicide rate reached 103 per 100,000 people. By 2019, it had dropped to 38 per 100,000, and continued declining before the 2022 crackdown. For decades, gangs exerted territorial control, committing forced recruitment of children, sexual assaults, abductions, and causing mass displacement. While gang violence has been severely disrupted, more than 1% of the population remains incarcerated under the state of exception, and the long-term sustainability of this approach continues to generate debate. Tourists were rarely targeted even during high violence periods, and remain at very low risk of experiencing extreme violence today.
Political Unrest
Political demonstrations occur occasionally but are generally small. Protests in 2023 and 2025 drew between 2,000 and several thousand participants, primarily focusing on the state of exception, arbitrary detentions, presidential re-election concerns, and demands for release of imprisoned family members. In May 2025, authorities suppressed a protest of over 300 families using the Military Police for the first time, marking an escalation in response tactics. Demonstrations can disrupt traffic and public transportation. Even peaceful protests can turn violent, causing injuries. El Salvador’s constitution prohibits political activity by foreigners, including participation in demonstrations. Foreign nationals participating in political activities face detention or deportation. The government has adopted an increasingly authoritarian approach since 2019, with President Bukele consolidating power in the executive branch. The state of exception, ongoing since March 2022, suspends constitutional rights including protections for speedy and fair trials. The Legislative Assembly, dominated by the ruling Nuevas Ideas party with 54 of 60 seats, has passed laws lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 12 for gang-related accusations and allowing mass trials of up to 900 individuals. Freedom of expression has been restricted. The Association of Journalists reported 311 press freedom violations in 2023, including harassment and restrictions on access to public information. Between January 2022 and August 2024, five journalists went into exile fearing reprisals. Authorities have arrested people over social media posts critical of the government. The government dissolved offices focused on social inclusion and restructured institutions that previously addressed human rights concerns. In February 2025, the health ministry eliminated all references to sexual diversity from official materials. You should avoid areas where demonstrations occur and monitor local media for updates. Never comment on local or political events on social media while in the country.
Areas To Avoid
Traditional high-risk areas have seen dramatic improvements, but caution remains warranted in specific locations. Downtown San Salvador historically ranked among the world’s 50 most dangerous cities, reaching third place globally in 2015. By 2020, it dropped from that list entirely. However, certain neighborhoods within San Salvador still present higher risks. Municipalities to the north and east of the capital, including Apopa, Ciudad Delgado, Mejicanos, San Martin, Ilopango, and Soyapango, experience higher violent crime rates and were historically home to gang activity. Districts 5 and 6 in San Salvador, which border Soyapango, were identified as troubled areas. Based on 2025 homicide data, the most dangerous municipalities include Tacuba, Acajutla, Usulutan, San Miguel, Metapan, Antiguo Cuscatlan, Atiquizaya, Jiquilisco, La Libertad, and Cojutepeque. However, these rankings can shift year to year, and low homicide rates do not necessarily indicate complete safety for travelers. Safer areas within San Salvador include Santa Elena, San Benito, Maquilishuat, La Gran Via, Escalon, Zona Rosa, and Multiplaza. The Centro Historico has improved security due to dedicated local authority efforts. Larger shopping malls generally maintain better security. Outside San Salvador, you should exercise caution when traveling at night on roads connecting cities. Remote areas and unpaved roads present higher risks due to fewer police patrols. Rural areas in Chalatenango and Morazan districts contain unmarked landmines and unexploded remnants from the civil war. Public buses remain risky for theft and occasional violent crime, which is why U.S. government employees are prohibited from using them. Night travel outside major cities presents elevated danger from both criminal activity and hazardous road conditions. The areas along the coast popular with tourists, including El Tunco and the Ruta de las Flores towns like Juayua, Ataco, and Suchitoto, are generally safer and well-visited by travelers.
