Exact population: 7,326,496 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Literacy: Total population: 76.2%; male: 76.1%; female: 76.3%

Ethnicities: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%

Area: Total: 112,090 sq km; land: 111,890 sq km; water: 200 sq km

Land boundaries: Total: 1,520 km; border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Terrain: Mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Extremes: Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m; highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Imports: US 37.5%, Guatemala 6.9%, Mexico 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.3%, El Salvador 4% (2004)

Exports: US 54.4%, El Salvador 8.1%, Germany 5.9%, Guatemala 5.4% (2004)

Industries: Sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Source: CIA World Factbook