Environmental Problems in El Salvador - 1804 Words

With a total land mass of just 8,124 square miles, El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. Like many of its’ neighboring countries, it possesses very few natural resources. Since the nation’s economy is based predominantly on agriculture, it’s no surprise that its’ citizens often experience â€Å"resource roller coasters†. In addition, its’ long history of inappropriate land tenure and ownership practices date all the way back to colonialism. Even more strikingly, â€Å"sixty percent of El Salvador’s population is expected to live in the capital by 2010.† As a result, El Salvador has to deal with continuing environmental problems. The fact that the nation lies along the Pacific Ring of fire doesn’t help either, which subjects†¦show more content†¦Despite receiving six feet of rainfall each year, most of the nation’s water is highly contaminated. In fact, thousands are killed each ye ar due to water contamination, many of whom are children. At the same time, most of the citizens of the nation cannot afford bottled water. After the twelve year civil war destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, poor areas became even poorer. Homes and water sources had been destroyed by militia during the war. After returning home, some citizens chose to hand dig wells in order to obtain drinking water. However, many others went to their nearest stream, river or pond to collect water. These unsafe and contaminated water sources caused many people to become ill with intestinal diseases. According to Ricardo Navarro, El Salvador’s government has failed to protect its’ most precious resource: â€Å"Farmers have cut down forests that used to store rain water. Ranchers have allowed their livestock to pollute rivers. Communities have put latrines too close to shallow wells.† Others, such as Marisol Prima Ponza, who runs a government dispensary that tracks the health of 375 children in several communities, believe that things are improving. There have been fewer cases of diarrhea, she says. For example, from January to August of this year I have only recorded 17 cases. Ponza also added that these improvements are due to several projects thatShow MoreRelatedGeography : El Salvador s Geography1330 Words   |  6 PagesGeography: El Salvador s geography is very diverse, most of the land is plains and flat land but it is bordered by a chain of mountains. El Salvador is known as the Land of Volcanoes, it has frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. It is the only country in Central America that does not have a coastline on the Caribbean Sea, (National Geographic). There are about 20 active volcanoes surrounding El Salvador, it is located on The Ring of Fire. There are two mountain ranges that circle around El SalvadorRead MoreEl Salvador s Economic Freedom3038 Words   |  13 PagesEl Salvador, located in Central America between Honduras and Guatemala, gained its independence from Spain in 1821, but El Salvador has recently suffered a devastating amount of loss due to a 12-year long civil war. The civil war finally ended in 1992, but the effects of the civil war can still be felt today. El Salvador is one of the poorest developing nations in the world. According to the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, El Salvador ranks 59th out of 186 countries based on 10 freedoms. WhenRead MoreThe Civil War On El Salvador1766 Words   |  8 PagesEl Salvador now known as the Republic of El Salvador is a small and densely populated country located in Pacific Coast of Central America. The major issue in was the coffee which was a very profitable business in El Salvador providing 95% of the country’s income. 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