Descent of the Ganges

The country sits between Guatemala, to the northwest, and Honduras, to the northeast. Although El Salvador only covers an area of about 21,040 km2 (the smallest country in Central America), it is the most densely populated. El Salvador is home to more than 6,500,000 people. It is divided into 14 sections called departamentos. It has 25 volcanoes, 14 lakes, and four large cities and is divided in to East, Central and West with the capital San Salvador in the central region, Santa Ana in the west, and San Miguel, the largest city in the east. The civilization of El Salvador dates from the pre-Columbian time, around 1500 B.C., according to evidence provided by the ancient structures of Tazumal in Chalchuapa. The Spanish Admiral Andrés Niño led an expedition to Central America and disembarked on the Island Meanguera, located in the Gulf of Fonseca, on May 31st, 1522. This was the first Salvadoran territory visited by the Spaniards.