El Salvador
El Salvador is located in Central America and borders Guatemala. El Salvador faces many struggles that relate to the environment as well as the economy. A civil war destroyed much of the country in the 1980’s. Today drugs and violence are destroying the county and that poses a serious threat. Deforestation, soil erosion, and several other environmental issues are threatening vegetation. El Salvador is a very religious country that has many historical and cultural factors. El Salvador faces many struggles in an attempt to have a successful country with happy citizens.
Historical Factors
Pedro de Alvarado was a Spanish conquistador who explored El Salvador in 1524. In September of 182, El Salvador won independence from Spain and
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initially joined Mexico but withdrew two years later. Their attempt to join with Mexico was to form the Federal Republic of Central America. The founder of the Central American Socialist Party led an uprising and the military responded by killing anyone who they thought was indigenous. A total of thirty thousand people were killed and this event became known as la Matanza. As a result of la Mantanza the military took control of the nation. The Soccer War began in 1969 ending in four days, but the border agreement was not signed until 1992. In 1981, over three hundred thousand citizens fled the country because of the civil war. The civil war in El Salvador lasted twelve years and an agreement was signed in 1992 (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/el-salvador/history). Environmental Factors El Salvador is plagued with multiple environmental issues.
Deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, and soil contamination are all issues that the people of El Salvador face. There are also many natural hazards, such as: volcanoes, hurricanes, and frequent earthquakes (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/es.html). El Salvador remains one of the most deforested countries in Central America, having only about five percent of land forested. Deforestation causes serious problems for the people of El Salvador and over half of their land is not suitable for food cultivation because of soil erosion (http://rainforests.mongabay.com/20elsalvador.htm). Out of all the environmental factors that El Salvador faces water pollution is the biggest issue. All of the water in El Salvador is contaminated with trash and human feces. The people of El Salvador have limited knowledge of environmental factors and they toss their garbage directly into the rivers. The manufacturers who bottle water have no way of filtering water so even bottled water is unsafe to consume. Elderly and young people remain the most effected by water contamination, a large amount of children die from disease caused by the water. Only twenty-five percent of people have access to clean water in their homes (http://www.progressio.org.uk/blog/empowered-blog/el-salvador-problem-water). Soil contamination in El Salvador is the result of pesticides and improper disposal of toxic …show more content…
waste. Cultural Factors.
The people of El Salvador identify as Salvadoran, and ninety percent of people are mestizo. Mestizo is people of American Indian and European descent. The official language is Spanish. Upon researching El Salvador it is common to see warnings about violence if a person plans to visit the country. El Salvador is recovering from years of war and violence and many people do not have money to spare so they prefer to spend their free time with family. The Salvadorans who do have money for entertainment and dining out have strict etiquette that must be followed. Dining with others is about the company and socializing, not about the food. If a person is invited to dinner they are expected to arrive thirty minutes late, because locals will arrive forty-five minutes late. Salvadorans dress very conservative based off of religious values
(http://www.safaritheglobe.com/el-salvador/culture/). Religious Factors. El Salvador is often times known for being a Catholic country because over sixty percent of people identify as Roman Catholic. Catholicism is one of the first Christian religions. Since the country is very religious, there are many celebrations that revolve around religion. An example would be Holy Week which is from Palm Sunday to Easter and generally takes place in March or April. Holy Week is a large celebration, but many people prefer to spend it with only family (http://www.safaritheglobe.com/el-salvador/culture/). Political Factors. In the 1980s El Salvador faced a civil war that destroyed the country, but today drugs and violence are the cause of destruction. A little less than half of the country lives in poverty. In March of 2014, Salvador Sánchez Cerén won the presidential election by a very small percentage. Many people say that he won by fraud. El Salvador is a troubled and close to failing country but compared to neighboring countries, the democratic institution seems to be working. In order for president Salvador Sánchez Cerén to be successful he has to deal with a major problem. Besides the large amount of poverty El Salvador faces, they are also plagued with Maras. Maras are criminal gangs that have overrun much of Central America. People of El Salvador believe that the Maras will increase their violence and killing to pressure Salvador Sánchez Cerén into negotiations. Salvador Sánchez Cerén has to figure out a way to deal with these criminal gangs for El Salvador to stay somewhat stable as a country (http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/03/19/291428131/el-salvadors-new-president-faces-gangs-poverty-and-instability). Economic Factors. Since the civil war ended, El Salvador has striven to merge peace and democracy. The political transformations have led to economic progress. Crime and violence are very prevalent in El Salvador which leads to trouble doing business and negatively effects investments. El Salvador faces an extreme climate that can lead to earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes that all causes extensive damages to the country. These natural disasters prevent the country from having long-term economic growth (http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/elsalvador/overview). Brief Summary. El Salvador was founded in 1524 and has faced many wars and battles since then. The country faces environmental issues such as deforestation, and is often known as the land of volcanoes. Based on location, El Salvador encounters hurricanes and other natural disasters that causes the country to face turmoil. The people of El Salvador identify as El Salvadoran and the official language of the country is Spanish. El Salvador is a very religious country and sometimes known as the Catholic country. The El Salvador president braves learning how to deal with the violence and drug use, to ensure a successful country. In conclusion, El Salvador faces many trials and tribulations to try to save the country and make it successful.
Hernan Cortes, one of the most looked upon leaders of Spain, was an explorer who had claimed Mexico for Spain, back in the early 1500’s. Cortes was born in Medellin, Spain in 1485. He came from a lesser noble family. According to some reports, he studied at the University of Salamanca for some time. In search for a fortune, in 1504, Cortés left Spain for New World. He traveled to the island of Santo Domingo. After settling in the new town of Azúa, Cortés served as a notary. After gaining some experience about the government and exploration under Diego Velazquez for Cuba in 1511, Cortes decided to lead his own expedition to Mexico.
Before reading this, I, like I am sure so many others, had no idea of the magnitude of injustices that can occur during these conflicts. Also, this was not very long ago, nor far away, and it speaks volumes of the differences in government ideology and politics. El Salvador is an extreme case of how a government will treat its citizens. Massacre at El Mozote truly was an eye-opener and I doubt I will soon forget it.
The war on crime is constantly being fought in El Salvador. El Salvador is one of the
The Civil War in El Salvador lasted from 1980 to 1992, and the El SAlvadoran government was doing their best to minimize the threat of their opposition. Their main opposition, The Frente Farabundo Marti Para La Liberacion Nacional; otherwise known as the FMLN, was a guerrilla group that was organized to fight the corruption in the country. 175). One of the main goals of the organization was to create a new society that is not degrading its citizens and promotes equality. Throughout El Salvador’s history, one organization to the next would run the country through repressive actions and social injustice. One of the main reasons that the FMLN fought the acting government were due to these social restraints on the lower- class citizens in El Salvador.
...t years of the war started after 1980, and ended in 1992 with the Peace Treaty of Chapultepec, Mexico. This treaty did not bring the desired peace and progress to El Salvador. Instead, the fight continued in a way of political opposition without arms. The revolutionary forces became a political party that represents the rights of the workers. The right wing party, which was originally founded by D’aubuisson, stayed in power until the elections of 2009. The popular sectors of El Salvador still face extreme poverty and oppression caused by large companies. The church continues its work with the poor but in a more limited and conservative way. After 30 years of the death of Romero, the Salvadoran Church remembers him as the hero of the oppressed and the voice of the voiceless and cries on the fact that the church was never the same after the death of its major leader.
Guatemala’s culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala’s population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas, and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya, which has retained a distinct identity. Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala’s history (Guatemalan Culture and History).
The civil war in El Salvador was one of the most destructive combats Central America had ever encountered. It was a settlement between the FMLN and the United States supported Salvadoran regime that led political settlement of El Salvador’s civil war. The full civil war lasted twelve-years
The forests are also inhabited by Colombia’s ingenious and much of its black population who secure their live hoods through sustainable means. They started to erode the social and economic structures of these communities.
On the one hand, water pollution poses serious threats to people’s living and health conditions. For example, according to the US Geological Survey, California has one-fifth of the water supply systems exceed the standard amount of perchlorate in the past decade. Some remote schools in Tulare County have denied students access to drinking fountains, and a school district of 260 students spends $ 10,000 or more per year on drinking water. The school will order bottled water, store and distribute it to each classroom, and collect empty bottles（Worldjournal）. A case in point is when the water resources are polluted in California, the state’s development would also be damaged. Firstly, the citizens’ living quality would be declined，because of water is so indispensable in people’s daily
The Definition of Love Love by definition is an emotion explored in philosophy, religion, and literature, often as either romantic love, the fraternal love of others, or the love of God based on the definition found in The Encarta Encyclopedia. As I explored the definitions through the Internet, books, and articles, I noticed the definitions changed quite a bit, but yet had the same basic understanding. The definition I found in The Encarta Encyclopedia is probably the most simple and most basic. It refers to love in the whole aspect, which is Godly, fraternal, and romantic. All of which can only be defined by one word and that is love.
Human activity is one area which highlights how poverty is a causal element of environmental degradation. As humans, we have the natural will to survive. The World Bank (1992) asserts that the poor do not deliberately degrade the environment but poor people oftentimes lack the resources to avoid degrading their environment. The people in abject poverty, who struggle at the edge of subsistence, are preoccupied with their daily survival. Therefore, with the lack of sufficient income, people start to use and overuse all resources available to them when their survival is at stake. Though, all people regardless of being poor or rich depend on natural resources, the problem with poor people is that they use the resources directly. With no other alternative in many poor regions, people pollute the rivers by washing inside them and by dispos...
Agriculture is the major farming activity. Agriculture's scale means not only that large area is directly affected, but that local and even regional climates can be affected. The draining of water from rivers and watersheds for irrigation leads to drier natural habitats. Those rivers that receive runoff from farmland are often poisoned by excessive nutrients and pesticides.
Compare to other region, they also have water problem but their main issues are about trees. Too many trees are cutting down in other to make charcoal and all that burning wood or waste can pollutes or damage the atmosphere.
The world today is vastly different from what it was before urbanisation and industrialisation had taken its toll on the world. Since the turn of the new millennium the issue of the environment has suddenly evolved into a widespread issue which is greatly discussed throughout the world. No longer are humans living in a world where the environment is serene or stable but much rather becoming unrecognisable and diminishing before our eyes. The plants, trees and flowers are life forms which God has created for us to enjoy its beauty but it is now solely up to us and many other organisations to protect preserve and respect how fragile our environment really is.